Teton Ridge Entertainment Secures Film and TV Rights to the Classic Western ‘High Noon’ by Stanley Kramer
Teton Ridge Entertainment Secures Adaptation Rights to Classic Film High Noon
Teton Ridge Entertainment has acquired the exclusive adaptation rights to the iconic 1952 film High Noon, featuring stars Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Directed by Fred Zinnemann, the film is celebrated as one of the greatest American movies ever made, having won four Academy Awards. The company’s acquisition brings together various rights previously held by Karen Sharpe-Kramer, Bianca Roe, Channon Roe, and Stephen Jaffe, along with those from 2521 Entertainment, and has enlisted Thunder Road Pictures to spearhead the creative direction for the film’s adaptation.
“Over the years, I’ve received many offers for High Noon, but I’ve waited for a partner that truly understands its legacy, values, and eternal themes,” said Sharpe-Kramer. “My husband believed in the power of stories to challenge us to stand up for what’s right. Teton Ridge Entertainment shares that belief and recognizes that this story is as relevant today as it was in 1952. I have tremendous respect for how they are breathing new life into the Western, a genre that sits at the very foundation of American storytelling. I’m excited to work with them as a creative collaborator to help bring this timeless story to a new generation.”
The film adaptation will be produced by Teton Ridge Entertainment’s Jillian Share, Thomas Tull, and Jen Gorton, alongside Erica Lee and Basil Iwanyk from Thunder Road Pictures, as well as David L. Hunt and Jon Walter from 2521 Entertainment. Executive producers include Tyler Zacharia, Christopher Hammond, Karen Sharpe-Kramer, Bianca Roe, Channon Roe, and Stephen Jaffe. Teton Ridge Entertainment will also steward the development of television adaptations of the classic film.
In addition to High Noon, Teton Ridge Entertainment recently announced several new acquisitions within the Western genre. These include the rights to the Lonesome Dove franchise, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Western epic, and the life rights of the renowned Academy Award-winning actor John Wayne.
“High Noon is essential to the American Western, and one of the rare films that holds up this cleanly seventy-four years later. Our job now is to honor what makes the original endure and to build something that speaks to where we are,” remarked Share, President of Teton Ridge Entertainment.
The original High Noon tells the story of a retired town marshal who must confront a vengeful outlaw alone as the townspeople refuse to assist him. The film received seven Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe nominations, with Cooper winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Marshal Will Kane. In 1989, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. The film’s narrative and conclusion have influenced a multitude of subsequent films, particularly within the Western genre.
Additionally, Teton Ridge Entertainment’s music documentary Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool, which follows the ascent of country star Lainey Wilson, premiered on Netflix in April.
The acquisition was negotiated by Michael Moskowitz of Moskowitz Law Firm, PC on behalf of Teton Ridge Entertainment. Representation for the various parties involved in the deal included Patrick Allach of Longo & Alach for Sharpe-Kramer, James Adams of Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham for the Roes, L. Wayne Alexander for Jaffe, Eric Harbart for Thunder Road, and Tyler Zacharia, COO of 2521 Entertainment.
