Richard Adams' estate wins back Watership Down rights

The estate and family of author Richard Adams has won back the rights to Watership Down, in a High Court case against US film producer Martin Rosen.

Watership Down Enterprises filed a lawsuit against Rosen, who wrote and directed the 1978 animated film of the novel.

In a judgment issued by the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) on 27th May, Rosen and companies controlled by him have been ordered to pay initial damages and court costs totalling approximately £76,000. The charges against them included copyright infringement, agreeing unauthorised licence deals and denying royalty payments.

The original contract, which granted Rosen motion picture rights in 1976, has been terminated. Additional damages are expected to be assessed at a future hearing.

The High Court heard that Rosen entered contracts worth over £400,000 after claiming he owned all rights to Watership Down.

Rosen made a further £68,153 from an unauthorised licence for an audiobook of the novel, and failed to pay the estate both the fees for a 2018 TV adaptation of the novel, and a share of merchandising royalties.

Juliet Johnson, Richard Adams’ daughter and the managing director of Watership Down Enterprises, said: “As custodians of this most beloved novel, our family has an obligation to protect the publishing and other rights for Watership Down and to preserve the essence of our father’s creation. After many years trying to resolve matters directly with Martin Rosen, we are extremely pleased with the High Court’s ruling. We can now look forward to the future and develop new projects that honour the powerful and pertinent messages of Watership Down about the environment, leadership and friendship.”

Watership Down is published in paperback by Puffin, and hardback and e-book by Oneworld.