International Literary Properties has acquired 12 literary estates from the U.K.'s Peters, Fraser + Dunlop. Deadline reported that in the eight-figure deal, ILP picked up the rights formerly held by the agency for the estates of Georges Simenon, Eric Ambler, Margery Allingham, Edmund Crispin, Dennis Wheatley, Robert Bolt, Richard Hull, George Bellairs, Nicolas Freeling, John Creasey, Michael Innes and Evelyn Waugh.
Launched last November, ILP "was set up to acquire the rights in literary estates from those who have inherited them, or from living authors, and will work to exploit those rights through all media platforms including TV, film and theater," Deadline wrote.
"The acquisition of Peters, Fraser + Dunlop's interests in these estates is a very important step for us in building the business," said CEO Hilary Strong, chair in the U.K. "This major acquisition plays to the team's experience and strengths and I am truly excited by the opportunity to nurture these twelve wonderful estates and to find new and exciting ways of telling the great stories that lie within them."
Group CEO Scott Hoffman added: "When we launched ILP, it was our vision to build a portfolio of some of the world's most important and iconic literary works with an eye toward preserving their creators' legacies and ensuring they would bring enjoyment to readers for decades to come. This acquisition is a major step toward that goal."