Gail Gygax Sued By Movie Producer

In June it transpired that Gail Gygax, the widow of D&D co-creator Gary Gygax was being sued. This isn't the first time she has been embroiled in legal disputes, there having been major family disputes between her and Gygax's children over recent years, but this is the first time with a Hollywood movie producer!

According to Variety, the Gygax estate partnered with De Santo to oversee the catalogue of published and unpublished works. In June of this year, according to the Courthouse News Service, "Tom DeSanto — producer of “Xmen” and “Transformers” — sued Gail Gygax — the widow of Gary Gygax, creator of “Dungeons & Dragons,” claiming they formed a partnership to exploit the brand, but she tried to negotiate a video game deal without him, in L.A. Superior Court."

That this is ongoing has been confirmed yesterday by a public Facebook post from Gail Gygax, which reiterates that she is being sued in California by Tom DeSanto (X-Men, Transformers) and New Myth Entertainment for $30M over plans to publish Gary's original dungeon. The post is below, verbatim, although it has been edited a few times, as can be seen in the post's edit history, and it's a little incoherent.

"What is on my mind?@

The 30 million lawsuit Tom DeSanto filed against me in CA, the prestigious producer, lol,DELAYS MY HOPE TO PUBLISH Gary's original dungeon. An historical work.
I guess i will be losing our home and Garys dungeon.

I am 62 years old. Can any one say Elder Abuse? Hunter. The thought of losing our home in the next two weeks has me devastated.

No one, except my agent has stepped up to defend me. She was fired from APA. TOM deSanto said to me an agent from APA was up on child molestation and basically said they were a third rate agency. Also that he knows the owner. Wow. Then my fantastic agent gets fired from the agency he, Tom, said was third rate.

My agent is fantastic and I can only say after many years in LA, she is the best.

I almost died in 2014 when Luke and Ernie sued me, and Margaret Weis. Shocking Margaret as Gary was so kind to you.

Weis as a board member. Not sure why She was so negative against me other than to gain financial control over the Gygax trademark..

I believe Tom DeSanto, accordinding to his email wants to strip me of our home and all properties Gary and i were working. On.

I refuse to attend GarybCon as Luke Gygax is so very negative to me. I love our much beloved Gen Con, however due to what i believe are Luke Gygaxes rants with his friends against me i am afraid to attend Gen Con. I would not to put Peter in a bad position. .Peter and Gen Con has only been respectful and loving to me and Alexander.

My home has been invaded, there was a trip wire by my back step to kill me and I know what is missing from our home.

My stepchildren places a headstone without a body. It reads. E Gary Gygax. Beloved Father and Grandfather. So my step childrens hatred of me is front and center. I was his beloved wife. No respect from them. I was shocked and dismayed when Harold Jog son informed me of this act at Gen Con. I was indeed devastated and bed ridden for two months.

With NO CONCERN FROM MY STEP CHILDREN.

I was Told by Chris Hoffner if i didnt licence GaryCon to him they would run over me.

Nice. I created GaryCon in my husbands memory. Guess my stepchildren cant share with me and Alex.

i can only believe TOM DESANTO AND NEW MYTH entertainment with David Ranes has victomized me. Not sure calling the FBI TOMORROW

Tom is suing me for $30mil. I asked my stepchildren to help me. Only to get the answer from Luke if i didnt make him branding manager there would be no agreement with his sibblings. What doess that even mean?. He wants control over my 30+ year company.

So i start a new jouney to make sure my husbands works are brought forward. I am disappointed Hasbro WOTC will not return my emails.

I WANT garys original dungeon i. With HIS original rules. Dungeons and Dragons.

I hope i have support for this historical moment.

Mrs. E. Gary Gygax
I will love him until the day i die. He was a truly special man. I was so honored to be married to him."

 

[Cameron Guill]

This writing is rambling at best. She seemed like a nice lady when I met her years ago. Sometimes, everyone is out to get you, though not usually.

 

[gamerprinter]

I don't know who owns what regarding the legacy of G.E.G., maybe it's the wife and she has a legal control of it. That said, making D&D movies and video games is mainstream, and D&D has never been mainstream (every D&D movie ever made was a bad movie). At least Gygaz Magazine was the truest form of positive legacy, even if there were ownship conflicts involved in it. Too bad, I'd much rather see an ongoing Gygax magazine, then to ever waste my time and money on a movie or video game, projects that are destined to fail.

My only connection to Gygax Magazine, Ernie or one of the son's contacted me about giving them a quote on printing a boxed set edition of a setting and adventures - map, book, dice, pawns and box for a 5,000 unit run. Although that desired product never surfaced, they did give me two free full page ads in the first magazine, and I got that magazine for free from the company.

 

[Dire Bare]

Soooo, What- no new movie. The last few were great, well maybe ok, well maybe direct to DVD ok.

I know very little on her and the children and how that all shakes out, so I do not want to pass judgement. I hope it gets settled and he gets his statue after all. Also hope it does not get torn down in 100 years for devil worshiping or something.

I don't know who owns what regarding the legacy of G.E.G., maybe it's the wife and she has a legal control of it. That said, making D&D movies and video games is mainstream, and D&D has never been mainstream (every D&D movie ever made was a bad movie). At least Gygaz Magazine was the truest form of positive legacy, even if there were ownship conflicts involved in it. Too bad, I'd much rather see an ongoing Gygax magazine, then to ever waste my time and money on a movie or video game, projects that are destined to fail.

My only connection to Gygax Magazine, Ernie or one of the son's contacted me about giving them a quote on printing a boxed set edition of a setting and adventures - map, book, dice, pawns and box for a 5,000 unit run. Although that desired product never surfaced, they did give me two free full page ads in the first magazine, and I got that magazine for free from the company.

Whatever is going on with the Gygax estate has nothing to do with the D&D game or D&D licenses, including movies and video games. D&D is owned by Wizards of the Coast lock, stock, and barrel. However, Gary had a number of creative projects over the years after he left TSR that his wife, Gail Gygax, controls, such as Lejendary Adventures. And then, Gail claims all use of the name "Gygax" related to gaming, even from Gary's sons Luke and Ernie. Hence the demise of "Gygax Magazine".

This lawsuit and Gail's other legal troubles have no impact on a future D&D movie, or video game.

 

[gamerprinter]

Neither options are something I favor - I don't go to movies and I don't play video games, so what happens on those projects mean nothing to me. Again I had hopes for Gygaz Magazine, which to me, for true fans are the only legacy worth supporting. But family politics kills everything - not just for the Gygax's.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Looking at this rambling post as if I knew none of the names involved or any past history, the first word that comes to my mind is dementia. Sadly, it can happen to the best of us. I hope it is not true, though if it is not dementia, there are some other serious issues behind the scenes none of us may ever know about.

 

[Mark Craddock]

Is Gail's Facebook post really news worthy? It's all from her side of the story. Seems like it's just dredging up a lot of outrage and another clickbait article.

 

[Koloth]

I just hope the lawyers don't bleed everyone dry.

The post does seem a bit rambling. Hope she finds someone she trusts to help straighten things out. Wild ass speculation: could be too many prescription drugs having some weird interactions.

 

[Converse02]

I'm seeing paranoia, depression, incoherence, heighten emotions, inappropriate topics, calling FBI....I am seriously worried about her mental health, she needs to see someone. I wish we as a society could do more than just gawk.

 

[Zarithar]

I don't know who owns what regarding the legacy of G.E.G., maybe it's the wife and she has a legal control of it. That said, making D&D movies and video games is mainstream, and D&D has never been mainstream (every D&D movie ever made was a bad movie). At least Gygaz Magazine was the truest form of positive legacy, even if there were ownship conflicts involved in it. Too bad, I'd much rather see an ongoing Gygax magazine, then to ever waste my time and money on a movie or video game, projects that are destined to fail.
.

Some of the best selling and most highly regarded CRPGs have used the D&D license. Little titles like Baldur's Gate, Planescape, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, the famous "Gold Box" series from SSI and others. Explain to me again how D&D based video games are "destined to fail". I can't argue with you as far as movies have been concerned (so far), but your statement is an unfair, and nonfactual one.

 

[gamerprinter]

I recall Neverwinter Nights, but that was a long time ago - playing D&D virtual tabletop is still the spirit of the game, playing as an MMO, you're just playing a video game, only being able to do what the game developers allow you to do. I'm not sold on D&D video game, but then I detest video games in general, hence why I play tabletop.