So one of the people who e-mailed over the past few days wanting the script was someone who wanted to pass it on to Roger Ebert. He gave me Mr. Ebert’s address, so I figured I’d e-mail him to get his toughts on both the script, and my methods for distributing it. Without telling me his thoughts on the script, I got this e-mail this morning :

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I am happy to be able to read the script, but I believe that a script in development has much the same legal status as a commercial or trade secret, and distributing it is about as legal as posting Ford’s patents for a new fuel pump on the Web. In other words, I think that legally you had no right to do it, and that WB would have won in a walk if they had sued you. Thedesire of others to read it, Kevin Smith’s reputation, etc., are all irrelevant: This is pretty much an open-and-shut case of copyright infringement. My own advice to you is to have nothing to do with the further public or private distribution of the script, or you may actually find yourself in court, as an example to others.

I give this advice because I know you acted sincerely and with good intentions, and I would just as soon save you a lot of grief.

Very best,
RE
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