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Disney barred from using Robin Williams’ ‘Aladdin’ outtakes

On Behalf of | Nov 13, 2015 | Wills

Disney is blocked from using Robin Williams’ outtakes from the original “Aladdin movie,” until 2039. The comedian’s will has a stipulation that prevents the media giant from producing new films with unused material from Williams’ “Aladdin” recording sessions completed in 1991.

An unnamed executive from Disney said that Williams could create 30 jokes a minute during his taped performances, and there is a lot of unused material in their vaults — enough to make a new film. However, due to Williams’ requirement that he gets the final say on whether different material can be used, the unused jokes he recorded during the original “Aladdin” recording sessions will remain under wraps for now.

The stipulation in the will that prevents the use of the material was created to protect Williams’ heirs, his three children and widow, from getting hit with estate penalties relating to posthumous earnings. Still, in spite of the stipulation, there were three films released after his death, which this stipulation obviously did not affect. They were “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” “A Merry Friggin’ Christmas,” and “Absolutely Anything.”

Last week, Williams’ widow Susan Williams revealed that the comedian suffered from a brain disease called Lewy body dementia, which is believed to have contributed to his suicide last August. Before his death, doctors misdiagnosed his condition to be Parkinson’s disease. According to Susan, there is no cure for Lewy body syndrome and it cannot be diagnosed until after the victim dies.

Although there has been some probate litigation between Williams’ widow and his three children, which made the news, this matter has been settled and resolved. California residents who are concerned about posthumous estate earnings and how this could affect their heirs’ tax liabilities may wish to speak with an estate planning attorney to evaluate their estates’ potential exposure in this regard.

Source: New York Post, “Robin Williams’ will prevents use of outtakes for ‘Aladdin’ sequel,” Lindsay Putnam, Nov. 08, 2015

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