Joseph DeMartino
Senior HTF Member
He can put whatever stipulations on it when he sells the rights.
No, he can try to put whatever stipulations he wants in. As in all contract negotiations, each side only gets what the other side agrees to. Very few writers have a) the interest or b) the clout to get involving in casting movie adapations of their work. The studios basically can't negotiate this kind of stuff away when they buy book rights because casting is traditionally the preogative of the director - and directors usually aren't even being considered at the time a book is bought. It is hard to sign a director later when you have to tell him, "Oh, by the way, John Grisham gets final say on casting." Most self-respecting directors (and all of the big name ones) would walk away from the project.
Potter and Twilight are exceptions on every level. The studio heads would have given their own children to secure franchises like those.JK Rowling sat in on all of the auditions And "Twilight" writer had a big input as well.
Finally everybody is missing the fact that I was freakin' KIDDING. I guess I should have festooned the post with smiley faces, but they would have spoiled the deapan effect I was going for.
Regards,
Joe