Game of Thrones Creator George R.R. Martin Sues Over The Skin Trade Film Rights

Winter came and went, but there’s still trouble in the kingdom. Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin is suing to regain the film rights to his novella The Skin Trade, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Martin originally sold the film rights to his 1988 novel The Skin Trade in 2009 to Mike the Pike Productions. The production company eventually assigned the film to Blackstone Manor LLC. Per the contract, the company had five years to begin shooting the film. If a movie was not made during this time, then Skin Trade rights would revert back to Martin. Blackstone began production on Sept. 2, 2014, but there is no final project.

Martin argues “Blackstone contrived the artifice” of a motion picture by quickly shooting a few scenes with a cast and crew to keep the rights to the film. Neville Johnson, Martin’s attorney, elaborates on the “production.” “It was the equivalent of a contractor agreeing to build a skyscraper and, on the last day to begin construction — without a foreman, crew, or approved blueprints — having a handful of day laborers take a month to build a gazebo on the construction site instead.”

Blackstone is keeping the position they fulfilled their end of the contract and the rights should remain with the company.

Keep it locked to Geek Confidential for further updates on the lawsuit!