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The Reason It’s a Wonderful Life Appears in So Many Other Movies
ComicBook.comStory by Michael Hein
scrn logline
How a Christmas classic's copyright mishap turned it into a holiday staple, inspiring countless homages and remakes in movies and TV.
beat sheet
- It's a Wonderful Life was a box office flop when it first released in 1946, but a copyright lapse in 1974 led to decades of constant TV airtime that made it a beloved classic.
- Paramount now owns the rights, and is developing a remake with filmmaker Kenya Barris, capitalizing on the film's enduring popularity and ability to inspire new adaptations.
call sheet
Philip Van Doren Stern, Frank Capra, Kenya Barris, RKO Pictures, Liberty Films, Paramount Pictures, National Telefilm Associates, Republic Pictures, It's a Wonderful Life