Studios are investing in creator-driven projects, but copyright and IP claims are raising tough questions. As online-born franchises hit the big screen, legal battles over ownership are intensifying.
Media and publishing professionals are watching closely as Hollywood’s appetite for creator-led intellectual property (IP) brings new legal and business challenges. The surge in demand for online-originated content has led studios to invest heavily in projects that began as internet memes or web series, but questions around copyright and true ownership are becoming increasingly complex.
Recent developments highlight the risks. The film Backrooms, which has generated nearly $390 million worldwide, is based on a viral meme that first appeared in a 2019 4chan thread. While director Kane Parsons began adapting the concept into a web series in 2022, the original idea was posted anonymously, making the chain of ownership difficult to trace. This ambiguity is now at the center of copyright discussions as studios seek to secure rights to such properties.
Studios are also spending millions to acquire IP from other online phenomena, including Skibidi Toilet memes and the analog horror series The Mandela Catalogue. As these internet-born franchises move into mainstream entertainment, disputes over who holds the rights-and who profits-are expected to become more frequent and contentious.
These challenges are not limited to legal teams. Editorial and business leaders must consider how IP origins affect licensing, revenue sharing, and long-term brand value. The complexities of tracing digital content’s lineage can impact everything from marketing to distribution strategies. For those managing creator partnerships, understanding the nuances of online IP is now essential for risk management and deal structuring.
Similar tensions have surfaced in other areas of the creator economy. For example, a recent live-streamed creator bootcamp drew over a million viewers and attracted major brand interest, as detailed in this report on rising sponsorship opportunities. As more creator-driven projects cross into traditional media, the stakes for clear IP ownership and monetization will only grow.
