The Infamous Endeavor/Dimension Email Exchange

A putative email exchange between Endeavor agency partner Tom Strickler and Dimension Films president Richard Saperstein, about a new spec script that Endeavor sold to New Line called $40,000 Man, is making Hollywood all buzzy today. The spec, which sold last week for mid six-figures, is about an astronaut who is injured in a car accident and rebuilt into a bionic man by the government, but they only spend $40k on fixing him. Sounds funny, right? Not if you're Dimension, which co-owns the rights to Six Million Dollar Man with Universal (and once had Old School director Todd Phillips attached to direct with Jim Carrey starring in what would seem to be a comedic take on the 70s TV show). Here is what Saperstein suppposedly emailed Strickler:

Tom- Please give me a call about a spec script Elia Infascelli-Smith has gone out with called $40,000 MAN. As you know, along with Universal, we control the rights to SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. My understanding is this spec includes characters we own. Best- Richard

Richard Saperstein

And here is Strickler's reply:

Richard: Good news. As you may know, The United States Supreme Court has affirmed the right of Parody as an unassailable First Amendment Right. This has enabled you to make movies like Scream and Scary Movie in which you parody many films which Dimension does not own or control. The script is a parody and if you have any problems I suggest you hire a Constitutional lawyer and file a brief with the US Supreme Court. This will be an uphill battle - the court voted 9 to 0 when this last hit the docket and those stubborn justices all believe in Stare Decisis! And if you succeed at the Supreme Court - you will have to stop making Scream and Scary Movie. This will take about 5 to 7 years...and lawyers are an expensive breed but I wish you good luck on your journey to deny our First Amendment rights. All the best Tom