Mike Judge Moves to Reclaim Beavis and Butt-Head Rights From Paramount
Mike Judge, the creator behind King of the Hill and Beavis and Butt-Head, has reportedly told Paramount he intends to take back the rights to his iconic duo. Per Kotaku, citing Puck News, Judge sent a legal notice to terminate Paramount's rights to the characters.
U.S. copyright law reportedly gives creators a window to reclaim their intellectual property after 35 years. Since Beavis and Butt-Head technically debuted on MTV's Liquid Television in 1992, the rights could revert to Judge as soon as 2027. This is similar to a recent move by Ultima creator Richard Garriott to reclaim that franchise from Electronic Arts.
Paramount had recently greenlit a 12th season for the animated series, which has enjoyed a successful revival bouncing between the characters' teenage and adult versions. The studio's approval for more episodes shows they were banking on a longer lease for the pair.
Regaining full control doesn't necessarily mean the characters will disappear from Paramount platforms, but it would give Judge much more say over their future. The news comes amid broader turbulence at Paramount, as David Ellison's attempted takeover of the company faces hurdles.
