Banijay and Sony are currently embroiled in a legal battle concerning the rights to Sky’s new television adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Deadline reports that Banijay initiated arbitration proceedings against Sony shortly after the announcement of the highly anticipated series created by Steve Lightfoot and Angela LaManna.
The core of the dispute lies in Banijay’s assertion that the television and film rights to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, which they believe reverted to them following the release of The Girl in the Spider’s Web film in 2018, are being infringed upon by the new Sky series. This series is produced by Left Bank, a company owned by Sony and known for its work on The Crown.
Banijay contends that Sony’s involvement through Left Bank constitutes a breach of their rights, prompting them to file for arbitration. The matter is expected to either be settled or proceed to court.
Banijay-owned Yellow Bird was the producer behind the original Swedish adaptations of the Millennium Trilogy, featuring Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist. This partnership extended to Columbia Pictures, MGM, and Scott Rudin Productions for the 2011 English-language adaptation directed by David Fincher and starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, as well as the 2018 sequel, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, featuring Claire Foy. It is understood that Sony initially acquired the adaptation rights in 2009 and that Left Bank had been developing the television version for several years.
Both Banijay and Sony have declined to comment on the ongoing dispute. Deadline has also reached out to Sky for their input.
No casting decisions have been announced yet for the television show, which is being touted as a “bold and contemporary reimagining” of the original story. The series is currently being pitched to U.S. networks. The storyline follows Mikael Blomkvist as he investigates the disappearance of a girl from a wealthy family who vanished 40 years ago, with the assistance of computer hacker Lisbeth Salander.
This is not the first instance of controversy surrounding this popular Scandinavian intellectual property. Following Larsson’s unexpected death in 2004, the rights to the trilogy were published posthumously and reverted to his immediate family, leading to legal challenges from his partner of 32 years, Eva Gabrielsson.
In related news, Banijay has also been in the headlines recently due to discussions about a potential merger with All3Media, the production giant behind The Traitors.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
His sharp analysis and investigative reports make complex financial topics accessible to all readers.
