How creators and artists can control their legacy after death

Michael Crichton, the creator of ER and author of Jurassic Park, died in 2008. So why is his estate suing Warner Bros. now? It turns out that when Crichton agreed to develop the ER series, he kept the right to approve—or not approve—of any sequels. That right didn’t die with him. Now that Warner is developing a new medical drama series, The Pitt, Crichton’s estate is claiming that the new show is simply a reboot of ER. Although the new show has some similarities, including some...