Disney has lost Roger Rabbit: Termination of Transfer is the most pro-artist form of copyright.; Medium, November 18, 2025

 

Cory Doctorow, Medium; Disney has lost Roger Rabbit

Termination of Transfer is the most pro-artist form of copyright.

"Gary K Wolf is the author of a fantastic 1981 novel called Who Censored Roger Rabbit? which Disney licensed and turned into an equally fantastic 1988 live action/animated hybrid movie called Who Framed Roger Rabbit? But despite the commercial and critical acclaim of the movie, Disney hasn’t made any feature-length sequels.

This is a nightmare scenario for a creator: you make a piece of work that turns out to be incredibly popular, but you’ve licensed it to a kind of absentee landlord who owns the rights but refuses to exercise them. Luckily, the copyright system contains a provision designed to rescue creative workers who fall into this trap: “Termination of Transfer.”

“Termination of Transfer” was introduced via the 1976 Copyright Act. It allows creators to unilaterally cancel the copyright licenses they have signed over to others, by waiting 35 years and then filing some paperwork with the US Copyright Office."

Copyright transfer, assignment and licensing in the United States; Lexology, October 29, 2018

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Jeff C. Dodd, Jonathan D. Reichman and Susanna P. Lichter, Lexology; Copyright transfer, assignment and licensing in the United States

"Transfer, assignment and licensing

Transfer and assignment 

What rules, restrictions and procedures govern the transfer and assignment of copyright? Are any formalities required to secure the legal effect of the transfer or assignment?

Any or all of the copyright owner’s exclusive rights or any subdivision of those rights may be transferred, but the transfer of exclusive rights is not valid unless that transfer is in writing and signed by either the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner’s duly authorised agent. However, the written transfer does not need to be made at the time of assignment, and a later written document confirming the agreement is sufficient to prove the assignment. Transfer of a right on a non-exclusive basis does not require a written agreement. A copyright may also be conveyed by operation of law. Additionally, it may be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by the applicable laws of intestate succession. Copyright is a personal property right and is subject to the various state laws and regulations that govern the ownership, inheritance or transfer of personal property as well as terms of contracts or conduct of business. The recording of a transfer with the Copyright Office is not required to make the transfer valid between the parties; however, it provides certain legal advantages and may be required to validate the transfer as against third parties. To bring an infringement suit in court, a copyright owner needs proof of an unbroken chain of title going back to the author of the work."

Copyright transfer, assignment and licensing in the United States; Lexology, June 25, 2018

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Jeff C. Dodd, Jonathan D. Reichman and Susanna P. Lichter,

Lexology; Copyright transfer, assignment and licensing in the United States