Greater Ormand Street Objects to "Peter and the Starcatchers"

[Sarangel]

It's a story that would make Peter Pan glad that he never grew up. Walt Disney Co. is caught in a feud with a U.K. children's hospital over the copyright to J. M. Barrie's classic novel, "Peter Pan."

London's Great Ormond Street Hospital is talking with its lawyers about whether a book published in August by Disney and billed as a prequel to the original infringes on the hospital's ownership rights to the fairy tale.

The hospital has earned millions in royalty fees from Pan, thanks to Barrie's decision to donate the rights to the hospital's charity before his death in 1937.

The hospital uses that money to support the hospital and treat sick children.

The book, "Peter and the Starcatchers," written by syndicated humor columnist Dave Barry and crime-novelist Ridley Pearson, was published in the U.S.

The hospital reportedly has written to Hyperion, Disney's New York-based book division, protesting the decision to publish the book without permission, according to the London Telegraph.

A spokesperson for the hospital couldn't be reached for comment.

The hospital says the U.S. copyright remains in effect until 2023, after a law, the Copyright Extension Act, was passed in 1998, according to the report.

It's worth noting that Great Ormond Street has launched a contest to search for the author of a sequel to Pan, which could bring it a windfall.

Disney contends the copyright in the U.S. expired before the 1998 law and the book now resides in the public domain.

The company said it continues to pay royalty fees for the rights to Pan in other countries, and it plans to donate to the hospital proceeds from the U.K. premiere of "Finding Neverland," a film about Pan author Barrie that was produced by Disney's Miramax unit.

"The Walt Disney Co. has a longstanding relationship with Great Ormond Street Hospital in the U.K., which includes continuing to pay substantial royalties for usage of Peter Pan by Disney in countries where the copyright remains in effect," the company said in a statement.

 

[DWatWDW]

I have seen good reviews of that book.

 

[DWatWDW]

I do think it is funny that Disney was the major reason the copyright extension act of 1998 was passed. They lobbied Congress very hard for it. Without it, some of Walt's earliest drawings of Mickey would have entered public domain. Ironic that it might come back now to bite them in the bottom.

 

[Sarangel]

I have seen good reviews of that book.

Peter and the Starcatchers is good. I don't know if it really fits the rest of the Peter Pan Mythos, but I found it enjoyable. The writing style is breezy (as one might expect from a book geared towards younger readers), but it reminded more of a modern fantasy than the original Peter Pan.

Sarangel