Ian Fleming Publications

Ian Fleming Publications. It is the literary copyright holder for the iconic James Bond series created by Ian Fleming and oversees the continuation of the 007 literary franchise. Originally established by Fleming himself, it has managed the publication of all posthumous James Bond novels and stories, commissioning new works from selected authors. The company works closely with Glidrose Publications, the original corporate entity, to protect and extend the Bond literary legacy.

History

The company's origins lie with Glidrose Publications, a corporate entity founded by Ian Fleming in 1952 to manage the rights to his burgeoning literary creation. Following Fleming's death in 1964, his estate, including the valuable literary rights, passed to his family. For many years, the literary property was administered by Glidrose, which was later renamed Glidrose Productions. The name Ian Fleming Publications came into prominent use in the late 20th century as the brand for the literary arm, distinguishing it from the lucrative Eon Productions film franchise. The company has been instrumental in commissioning new James Bond novels, ensuring the character's continued presence in literature beyond Fleming's original Casino Royale to The Man with the Golden Gun.

Publications

The primary function is to publish new James Bond novels written by continuation authors. The first major post-Fleming work was Colonel Sun, published in 1968 and attributed to Kingsley Amis under the pseudonym Robert Markham. After a long hiatus, the literary series was revitalized in 1981 with Licence Renewed by acclaimed novelist John Gardner, who wrote over a dozen original 007 missions. Following Gardner, the mantle was passed to Raymond Benson, who contributed several novels and short stories. In the 21st century, the company has selected a series of distinguished authors for one-off commissions, including Sebastian Faulks (Devil May Care), Jeffery Deaver (Carte Blanche), William Boyd (Solo), and Anthony Horowitz (Trigger Mortis and Forever and a Day). It also oversees publications of Fleming's non-Bond works, such as Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang.

Legal disputes

The company has been involved in several significant legal battles to protect the James Bond copyrights and trademarks. A notable early case involved Kevin McClory, who co-wrote the original film treatment that later formed the basis for Thunderball, leading to protracted litigation over film rights. Later, the estate faced a challenge from MGM and Danjaq, the producers behind Eon Productions, regarding the scope of literary rights versus film rights, particularly concerning the character SPECTRE and its leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld. These disputes were often settled through complex agreements. More recently, it was involved in a lawsuit with the heirs of William Boyd over royalty payments, highlighting the ongoing commercial stakes of the Bond franchise.

Adaptations

While the company controls the literary rights, the cinematic adaptations of James Bond are primarily handled by Eon Productions, founded by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. However, it licenses the literary works for adaptation and collaborates on projects that draw directly from the novels. Notable exceptions to Eon Productions' control include the 1967 Casino Royale parody and the 1983 Never Say Never Again, which resulted from the Kevin McClory litigation. The company also licenses characters and stories for other media, including BBC radio dramatizations, Dark Horse Comics graphic novels, and Electronic Arts video games. Its partnership with The Ian Fleming Foundation helps preserve the historical legacy of the original works.

See also

* Eon Productions * James Bond in film * List of James Bond novels and short stories * The Ian Fleming Foundation * John Gardner (British writer) * Raymond Benson

Category:Book publishing companies of the United Kingdom Category:James Bond