Screenwriting : How to pitch a sequel script to a studio by Patrick J. McKenna

Here's the problem: even if a) you could get in to talk to them and b) they liked your idea... then so what? They own their property... you can't claim ownership of a sequel. They could take your idea and send you packing. But don't worry... even part "a" above is unlikely to happen. If you want to pitch a studio, write a great original script first. Once they love you and are eager to sit down with you, then pitch your sequel.

Here's how to pitch a sequel script: 1) Write a bunch of amazing original screenplays. 2) Those amazing original screenplays will lead to meetings with production companies. 3) The development team at those production companies become your fans. 4) The company that owns the rights to the original film has a meeting with you due to one of your original scripts and they or you bring up the sequel. If it's an active franchise, it will be up to them to bring it up (because they pick the writers). If it's a dead franchise, then you can bring it up. Either way: they decide. They have to hire you to write the screenplay because they own the copyright. It all starts with a bunch of amazing original screenplays written by you.

Someone else owns the rights... If you feed them an idea they will say thanks and you will never hear from them again. Write and develop your own stories.

Yep. If the studio isn't asking for a sequel, then you're better off putting energy into writing another original.

But what if you have 3 of 4 sequels already written, copyrighted, WGA, Lawyers... all nine yards. What then? Ha!

I've heard of studio execs wanting scripts based on the studios IP in their back pocket. They sometimes pay writers they know to whip up rewrites of concepts they feel may be due a remake. It may be worth looking up execs from the applicable studios and seeing if there's a route to submitting your material as more of a reboot than a sequel. Long shot, but an in age of remakes, maybe worth a punt.

Okay, CJ. The first two sentences of your post suggest what. this IP, what is that. They pay writers to do what. re-write something this young man or someone else wrote. I'm pretty sure there's a word for re-write without the original author's permission. The remake will take place 10, 20 years after the original movie. I'm not sure who wrote it in on of the post, a few months back. I think it was you when you sad. There's no safe place or way to protect our own work any more.

IP = intellectual property, which means that the studio, who created the film originally, own all the stuff to do with it, so you cant use the characters or create stories around them without their permission, or as CJ suggests, them asking you to write it. What CJ is suggesting is that perhaps there is a property, that didn't do brilliantly, hasn't had a film/sequel made recently, e.g. Condorman, that they might be interested having a treatment or script written for... as CJ said, long shot, but do you lose anything by asking?

Okay Anthony. Go back up, to my first comment here. Do you see the point. I wrote any script part 1, 2, 3. The studio bought all 3, things didn't go as planned (from their point of view) and now they will ask the same person (me) to re-write it all again to turn it into what? Drama to Romance, Sci-Fi to Drama.... take your pick. And thank you for explaining what CJ meant,

Niksa - sorry you finished you first post with a Ha, assumed that it was a joke. So, no, not sure the point you are making... But if you have written for a studio, a part of a franchise, then they could ask you to write more - if they like your work. I'd concentrate on getting them to like your work first though, worry about sequels etc later on. Turn into what - well who knows, they turned a Horror movie, Alien, into an Action film, Aliens (imho), for the sequel - but most sequels stay in the original genre, if they are making a sequel it's because the first was sucessful, they don't normally change too much in case they break it.

Oh and sorry - Daredevil, a better example... the film version with Afleck in from a few years ago didn't cut it, they didn't make a sequel... but a new series (very good too), has just come out on Netflix...

Condorman for teh win. Watched the car chase on YouTube only the other day. But yeah, Anthony explained it. I'm aware of a few writers who get pocket money from execs doing this on assignment.

Loved Condorman as a kid, great action comedy ;-)

Fair enough but here's the thing. First "MOVIE" out of 3, completed, I need to check some facts, to avoid look like someone who can't count. Second movie out of 3, completed, just a few things left to check. The third, not started writing it, yet, it'll be too long, over 200 pages but let's say but let's say I have all 3 completed and any studio decides to go with the first one. How do you approach all this. They won't buy the first knowing you have 2 or 3 more in line, and what if they F-U the first one, what then. As Kerry posted in first comment "you can't claim ownership of a sequel. They could take your idea and send you packing." Meaning what. They'll buy or get their hands on it, I'm gonna spit my soul to them, giving every detail about the rest of things I have or working on. I understand the logic to make sure someone turns some smaller project of mine into whatever then go talk about bigger projects but what if they pass on small ones and want the big one. How would you proceed then?

Concentrate on getting them to buy the first one, get something in the contract to give you first refusal on writing any sequels.