History Main / AshcanCopy

* The film adaptation of ''Literature/AtlasShrugged''. After spending decades in DevelopmentHell as various attempts to make either a movie or a miniseries out of Creator/AynRand's novel (some of them with [[SelfAdaptation Rand's involvement]]) flopped, millionaire investor John Aglialoro bought an 18-yearoption on it and pitched it to various studios throughout the '90s and '00s. With his options set to expire, Aglialoro sunk much of his personal fortune into financing the first installment, expecting a bigger budget for the next films. It didn't work out how he'd hoped; the first film was a BoxOfficeBomb and the second and third films getting reduced budgets and limited releases as a result.

* ''The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'': Creator/NewLineCinema and Creator/WarnerBros hadn't owned the live-action film rights to anything Tolkien since the ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[Film/TheHobbit Hobbit]]'' trilogies, so this animated film (in continuity with the Creator/PeterJackson films) is a move to ensure that Creator/{{Amazon}} (who produced the megabudget series ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'', which is unrelated to the films) wouldn't be the only creators of Tolkien-based content in the near future.

* Red Eagle Entertainment rushed out an adaptation of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' in the form of a 22-minute "pilot" called ''Winter Dragon'', which follows the prologue of ''Eye of the World'', but with a twist ending. It stars illy Zane as a surprisingly decent [[AffablyEvil Mephistophelian]] Ishamael and Max Ryan as a soft, homey Lews Therin, who looks nothing like the leader of the free world. They keep talking and name-dropping, LT keeps calling his wife, then Ishy cures his insanity, shows that LT's home palace really is dark and run-down, that his entire family is murdered, then offers a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with Shai'tan]]. Instead of killing himself by creating a volcano like in the book, LT saves on special effects and switches his insanity back on to stay with his family. [[https://twitter.com/Sedavision According to the director,]] filming began on [[ChristmasRushed January 20th and post-production was completed on February 4th]]. It aired less than a week later at 1:30 AM on [[Creator/{{Fox}} FXX]]. The TV rights to the ''Wheel of Time'' series were set to revert from Red Eagle Entertainment (which has held them since the mid-2000s) to the Bandersnatch Group (owned by the Robert Jordan estate) on February 11th. Needless to say, [[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2015/02/wheel-of-time-pilot-harriet-statement Jordan's widow was not pleased.]] Lawsuits were threatened against Red Eagle, and when the dust finally settled, Harriet was able to get the rights back and turned to Creator/AmazonPrime, which produced an [[Series/TheWheelOfTime2021 actual series]] based on the novels. ''Winter Dragon'' is available on [=YouTube=], both the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUQE0-G_GeU original version]] and the fan-edited, 10-minute-long [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lyWn9soBU8 Dusty Wheel Cut]].

* ''The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'': Creator/NewLineCinema and Creator/WarnerBros hadn't owned the live-action film rights to anything Tolkein since the ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[Film/TheHobbit Hobbit]]'' trilogies, so this animated film (in continuity with the Creator/PeterJackson films) is a move to ensure that Creator/{{Amazon}} (who produced the megabudget series ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'', which is unrelated to the films) wouldn't be the only creators of Tolkien-based content in the near future.

* ''The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'': Creator/NewLineCinema and Creator/WarnerBros hadn't owned the live-action film rights to anything TOlkein since the ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[Film/TheHobbit Hobbit]]'' trilogies, so this animated film (in continuity with the Creator/PeterJackson films) is a move to ensure that Creator/{{Amazon}} (who produced the megabudget series ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'', which is unrelated to the films) wouldn't be the only creators of Tolkien-based content in the near future.

* In 2010, Creator/TurnerClassicMovies quietly aired [[http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article.html?id=484547%7C488308 a bizarre special]] where Leonard Matlin intervs Creator/WarrenBeatty in-character as ComicStrip/DickTracy. This special was made solely so that Beatty could extend his rights to make a second ''Film/DickTracy'' film. A second special would air in 2023, with Beatty again portraying both Dick and himself, with [[TalkingToHimself Dick actively complaining to Beatty about the film and the modern film industry]].

* Saban Brands dubbed ''Anime/SmilePrecure'' and ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'' as ''Glitter Force'' and ''Glitter Force Doki Doki'' for this reason, as it was in the same package that gave the company the rights to ''Anime/DigimonFusion''.
* Creator/FourKidsEntertainment's infamous dub of ''Manga/OnePiece'' only exists because it was licensed from the same package that gave them the rights to ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi'', and Creator/ToeiAnimation ''forced'' [=4Kids=] to dub the show under penalty of losing the ''Doremi'' license.

* The most widely-known example is ''Flash Comics'', which was actually the title of two different ashcans from different companies seeking claim to the title. Creator/DCComics' ''Flash Comics'' combined cover art from ''Adventure Comics'' #41 with pages from ''All-American Comics'' #8; Fawcett's ''Flash Comics'' (also printed under the title ''Thrill Comics'') featured the origin of Captain Thunder, who made his first regular appearance as [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] in ''Whiz Comics'' #2 (''Whiz Comics'' #1 was itself also an ashcan copy).
* Creator/DCComics's ''Action Funnies'' ashcan contained pages from ''Detective Comics'' #10 and cover art that would later appear in color on ''Action Comics'' #3.

* ''Eerie'' #1 was a hastily assembled digest of horror comic stories with a print run of a few hundred copies, created by publisher James Warren to deny the title to rival publishers Myron Fass and Robert W. Farrell, whose company was named Eerie Publications.
* Following the "DC Implosion" (where DC Comics cancelled a whole bunch of titles all at once in 1978) they "published" ''Cancelled Comic Cavalcade'', two 250 page editions of the comics which had been cancelled just to ensure copyright on the stories which had already been written & drawn. Only 35 copies were made, though black-and-white photocopies of the originals exist. The reprint was notable for being the first "appearance" of [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]] member Comicbook/{{Vixen}}.
* DC Comics, owner of ComicBook/WonderWoman, made a huge mistake at the time of the character's inception: they never thought about making a "Wonder Man". Marvel Comics played a prank on them by doing so first. They didn't take this very seriously: he was a one-time villain who died at the end of the story. But when the rights to this minor character were about to expire (and DC would be able to lay claim to the name), Marvel Comics resurrected the character and gave him a recurring role in the Avengers series, retaining the rights.
* Marvel has pulled the same stealth claim trick more than once: after DC sued Fawcett regarding how close [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] was to their own Franchise/{{Superman}}, Marvel noticed that the superhero's name was legally up for grabs and created their own ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}} (given the company name, they couldn't be blamed). Then DC bought Fawcett and incorporated the now rebranded ''Shazam'' into their universe. In order to avoid the trademark falling into disuse and thus becoming available to their biggest competitors, Marvel has had to publish at least one ''Captain Marvel'' title every year or two since, leading to a number of ongoing series, limited series and one-shots featuring a range of characters using the Captain Marvel alias (the original Mar-Vell, many of his sons and clones, and the current incarnation who used to go by ComicBook/MsMarvel).
* ComicBook/SheHulk and ComicBook/SpiderWoman were born from this trope. After witnessing the success that Creator/{{ABC}} had with ''Series/BionicWoman'', a spinoff of ''Series/TheSixMillionDollarMan'' that starred a DistaffCounterpart to Steve Austin, Marvel took a look at its contract on the upcoming ''[[Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977 Incredible Hulk]]'' TV series and realized that there was nothing stopping Creator/{{CBS}} from creating a female version of ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk that they would own the rights to. Even though Creator/StanLee normally opposed such spinoff characters, he made an exception for She-Hulk in order to lock down the rights to such a character for Marvel. Spider-Woman was likewise created to preempt Creator/{{Filmation}} when they attempted to create a Spider-Woman character for ''Tarzan and the Super 7'', forcing them to rename the character Web Woman.

* The 1966 adaptation of ''Literature/TheHobbit''. Producer Bill Snyder bought the film rights from Creator/JRRTolkien on the cheap, and just before they were set to expire the popularity of Tolkien's ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' books skyrocketed. Realizing he could make a tidy return on his investment, Snyder set out to get the rights extended long enough to negotiate a resale. However, a film had to be made and released in order for that to happen. With the contract set to expire in one month, he got Creator/GeneDeitch to hastily produce a 12-minute film using still drawings, which was then screened in a single Manhattan theater on the day the contract was set to expire. With its conditions fulfilled in the narrowest possible sense, the contract was duly extended and Snyder sold the rights for $100,000 (in 1960s money). In 2012 the film finally resurfaced when Snyder's son [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBnVL1Y2src uploaded it on YouTube]]. WordOfGod from Gene Deitch also makes clear that a non-ashcan version was, in fact, in development before that, but low on priority for the studio.
* ''The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'' (scheduled for 2024) sounds like this. Creator/NewLineCinema and Creator/WarnerBros don't have live-action film rights to adapt anything Tolkien anymore since the ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[Film/TheHobbit Hobbit]]'' trilogies, making this animated film (which will be in continuity with the Creator/PeterJackson films) could be seen as a move to ensure that Creator/{{Amazon}} (who produced the megabudget series ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'', which is unrelated to the films) won't be the only creators of Tolkien-based content in town in the near future.
* The main reason for the release of ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryWillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' was that Warner Bros.' license would have run out if they didn't release a new movie adaptation of ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''. It went so poorly that the Creator/RoaldDahl estate [[SelfFulfillingProphecy revoked the license]] from Warner Bros. and gave it to Creator/{{Netflix}}. However, Warner was still able to greenlight a prequel entitled ''Film/{{Wonka}}''.

* Marvel has had huge success with their own movie adaptations of their superhero characters, including the sprawling, interconnected Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. However, three of the most popular Marvel properties -- ComicBook/SpiderMan, the ComicBook/FantasticFour, and the ComicBook/XMen -- were conspicuous by their absence in the MCU. This was because Marvel sold off the movie rights to their best-known characters during a period of financial troubles in the late 1990s. In the 2000s, however, Marvel began experimenting with in-house movie production and were rewarded with several smash hits. Since then, Marvel has been very interested in permanently reclaiming properties that could be added to the MCU, and their licensees resorted to ashcanning productions in order to hold on to their movie rights:
** The 1994 ''Film/TheFantasticFour'' movie is the most true to the spirit of this trope for this list, being ashcan fodder extraordinaire. The German studio Constantin Film acquired the rights in 1986 and they were about to lose rights forever, so they made the film [[NoBudget cheaply]], hired famed BMovie schlock-meister Creator/RogerCorman as producer, and it never got a wide release. It exists only in bootleg copies, some of which have made their way [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eN0FoR_FlZg online]]. In 2004, Constantin teamed up with Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox and finally filmed a movie that saw release the following year.
** The 2015 movie, infamously dubbed ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' didn't fare any better, as it was rushed out to prevent the property's rights from reverting to Marvel. The rushed schedule led to a TroubledProduction and director Josh Trank's CreatorBreakdown. The final result was a significant BoxOfficeBomb and one of the worst-reviewed comic book movies ever made. Ironically, in 2019 Disney bought out most of Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox's assets, including the cinematic rights to the Fantastic Four. Thus, Fox's attempts to keep the rights out of Marvel's hands were ''at best'' [[AllForNothing all for nothing]].
** A fourth movie in the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' was in the works, but once pre-production woes hit the project - Sam Raimi stated he could not meet the scheduled release date and retain creative integrity - Creator/SonyPictures decided in 2010 to just reboot the series to keep Spidey away from Marvel Studios (who were about to release ''Film/IronMan2'' and had many others in production). ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' hit theaters in 2012 and was mostly received well, but [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2 its less-beloved sequel]] ultimately killed Sony's plans to make a rival cinematic universe based on just the Spider-Man side of Marvel, making them instead let Marvel Studios use the character in films starting with ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', and with both studios collaborating in his solo movies (although Sony is [[Film/SonysSpiderManUniverse making movies based on Spidey's villains]]).
* ''Film/HellraiserRevelations'' was quickly whipped together, the filming taking place over a mere 11 days and the post-production going on for about three weeks, specifically so Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany could hold onto the rights to the ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' franchise long enough to get a planned remake off the ground. The result is widely regarded as the worst film in a franchise that has seen its fair share of bad sequels, to the point where Creator/CliveBarker (who wrote and directed the original film) [[https://twitter.com/RealCliveBarker/status/105189711416524800 publicly]] [[DisownedAdaptation disowned it]] and Creator/DougBradley (who played Pinhead in every film prior) refused to have any part in it. ''Film/ChildrenOfTheCornGenesis'' was also quickly rushed together by the Weinstein Company for the same reasons, and ended up about the same way.
* Creator/MattDamon, in [[http://screenrant.com/matt-damon-interviews-jason-bourne-promised-land/ an interview]] with Screen Rant, stated that ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' was made entirely because Creator/{{Universal}}'s contract with the Creator/RobertLudlum estate would have expired in 2012 if they didn't make another Bourne film, yet Damon was busy and couldn't reprise the leading role. As such, they cast Creator/JeremyRenner as a new character, Aaron Cross, and made the movie [[InNameOnly without the title character]]. They did eventually make another ''Bourne'' movie with Damon, titled simply ''Film/JasonBourne''.
* ''Film/DudleyDoRight'' and ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRockyAndBullwinkle'' supposedly ended up this way, in part due to Universal wanting to get the films out of DevelopmentHell quickly so that it could keep the film rights for the ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'' franchise. Both movies bombed at the box office, leaving Universal no other option but to just give up the rights - which, ironically, they would regain after acquiring Creator/DreamWorksAnimation, then-co-owners of the characters with the Creator/JayWard estate. Universal would eventually lose the rights again when the Ward estate announced a distribution and production deal with Creator/WildBrain.
* A film based on the ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' comics had been in DevelopmentHell for decades under different companies. Creator/RogerCorman's company had at some point acquired the rights from the previous property owners but ultimately only made [[Film/{{Vampirella}} the 1996 film]] because they only had six months left before the license expired, requiring them to quickly rush something into production. After an incredibly TroubledProduction, the final result was a [[WhatTheHellCastingAgency miscast]], critically panned film that the director Jim Wynorski later [[OldShame regretted making at all]].
* ''My Name Is Modesty'', a 2004 low-budget thriller featuring a young ComicStrip/ModestyBlaise, was made so the production company could hold on to the film rights long enough to get things moving on a proper ''Modesty Blaise'' film. (As of this writing, they still haven't.) It was released direct to DVD, and for something made so quickly and cheaply it isn't actually terrible.
* Before Fox released the aforementioned 2015 version of ''Fantastic Four'', ''Film/DragonballEvolution'' was seen as their biggest example in this department, the main reason for this film's quality was due to Fox pushing it out the door just because the rights were expiring. Although many fans of [[Manga/DragonBall the source material]] who have seen the film can name off a list of inconsistencies with the source material, among critics, it's been trashed for being more akin to a drama you'd find on Creator/TheCW than an action/adventure story -- the film attempts to combine the Emperor Pilaf Saga with the King Piccolo Saga[[note]]the former is a very lighthearted affair about tracking down the titular Dragon Balls, and features a large amount of slapstick; the latter is a much more serious arc, and can be seen as a precursor to what the series would be like once Goku became an adult[[/note]], with ''disastrous'' results; Justin Chatwin's performance as Goku (an optimistic, carefree IdiotHero) is an angsty character who is mainly focused with getting the girl (for comparison's sake, Goku thought marriage was ''a type of food'' at the age he was when the events the movie is portraying happened in the manga[[note]]he ''did'' end up marrying Chi-Chi after becoming a teenager... mainly because although he had made the promise not knowing what marriage was, he did intend to keep said promise[[/note]]), and the film is overall seen as a ClicheStorm[[note]]to be fair, most of the elements it has were present in the source material; however, the source material didn't try and do all of them at once[[/note]]. Ironically, the film might end up being one of the best things to happen in the franchise in the long run, since series mangaka Creator/AkiraToriyama, who is a notoriously apathetic creator, was appalled by the film, and actively became involved in the production of ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'' - something he likely wouldn't have done had he not seen how disastrous the end result of letting other people handle his work without involving him was[[note]]while the movie would've happened regardless, the script was a much DarkerAndEdgier version of the final product, portraying [[BigBad Beerus]] as a much more villainous character[[/note]]. His involvement eventually led to another film, ''[[Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF Resurrection 'F']]'', and a new TV series, ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' -- in other words, the film made him ''care about his work''.
* The little-known fourth ''Film/{{Porkys}}'' film, ''Pimpin' Pee Wee'', was produced on a very hurried schedule in 2009, purely for the purposes of derailing a remake of the first film that Creator/HowardStern was attempting to mount.
* ''Day of the Dead 2: Contagium'' apparently started out as an unrelated zombie script that got [[DolledUpInstallment hastily turned into]] a ([[InNameOnly nominal]]) prequel to ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'', just so that the producers could hold onto the rights long enough to release [[Film/DayOfTheDead2008 the planned theatrical remake]]. 2018's ''Day of the Dead: Bloodline'' may also be an example, seeing how it just so happened to be released just short of ten years after the previous remake, and like ''Contagium'' has nothing in common with the 1985 original outside of dealing with a ZombieApocalypse.
* ''Film/PetSematary2019'' turned out to have been put into production because, [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/real-life-terminator-major-studios-face-sweeping-loss-iconic-80s-film-franchise-rights-1244737 under US copyright law,]][[note]]In the late '70s, US copyright law was amended so that, after 35 years, writers can reclaim the copyright to any work that they had sold the rights to.[[/note]] Creator/StephenKing would soon be able to reclaim the film rights to his novel ''Literature/PetSematary'', and what's more, he had been aggressive about reclaiming the rights to other books of his once the time came. Creator/{{Paramount}}, therefore, wanted to wring something out of the rights while they still had them.
* The film adaptation of ''Literature/AtlasShrugged''. After spending decades in DevelopmentHell as various attempts to make, at various points, either a movie or a minseries out of Creator/AynRand's novel (some of them with [[SelfAdaptation Rand's involvement]]) fell through, millionaire investor John Aglialoro bought an 18-year-long option on it and tried to pitch it to various studios throughout the '90s and '00s. With his options set to expire, Aglialoro sunk much of his personal fortune into financing the first installment in the hopes of a higher budget for the next installments. It didn't work out the way he wanted to, with the first film being a BoxOfficeBomb and the second and third films getting reduced budgets and limited releases as a result.

* This trope was parodied in ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'', where a fictional version of the [='90s=] ''Fantastic Four'' movie is stated to be one of several movies made by Imagine Entertainment ([[SelfDeprecation the studio that makes the show]]): Ron Howard was told by a drunk lawyer at the company Christmas party that Imagine's license on ''Fantastic Four'' would expire unless a film was made within the next six days. They immediately cast the film with the bartenders from the party, then hired the same bartenders to work the film's wrap party five days later.
* Red Eagle Entertainment rushed out an adaptation of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' in the form of a 22-minute "pilot" called ''Winter Dragon'', which follows the prologue of ''Eye of the World'', but with a twist ending. Starring Billy Zane as a surprisingly decent [[AffablyEvil Mephistophelian]] Ishamael and Max Ryan as a soft homey Lews Therin, who looks nothing like the leader of the free world. They keep talking and name-dropping, LT keeps calling his wife, then Ishy cures his insanity, shows that LT's home palace really is dark and run-down, that all his family is murdered, then offers a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with Shai'tan]]. Instead of killing himself by creating a volcano like in the book, LT saves on special effects and switches his insanity back on to stay with his family. [[https://twitter.com/Sedavision According to the director,]] [[ChristmasRushed filming began on January 20th and post-production was completed on February 4th]]. It aired less than a week later at 1:30 AM on the [[Creator/{{Fox}} FXX]] channel. The TV rights to the ''Wheel of Time'' series were set to revert from Red Eagle Entertainment (who has held them since the mid-2000s) to the Bandersnatch Group (which is owned by the Robert Jordan estate) on February 11th. Needless to say, [[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2015/02/wheel-of-time-pilot-harriet-statement Jordan's widow was not pleased.]] Threats of lawsuits against Red Eagle were made and when the dust finally settled Harriet was able to get the rights back and turn to Creator/AmazonPrime who produced an [[Series/TheWheelOfTime2021 actual series]] based on the novels. ''Winter Dragon'' is available on [=YouTube=], both the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUQE0-G_GeU original version]] and fan-edited [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lyWn9soBU8 Dusty Wheel Cut]] recut down to below 10 minutes.
* Creator/WarnerBros produced a TV pilot called ''Black Bart'' based on ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' just to retain the sequel rights to that film. Creator/MelBrooks explained that he opposed the studio's desire for sequels and included a clause in his contract that all sequel and spin-off rights would revert to him unless Warner Bros. made a movie or TV show based on the film within six months of theatrical release. Brooks knew that the studio couldn't produce a second movie in that time frame, and that network TV would never be able to get a TV show based on ''Blazing Saddles'' past the broadcast censors. However, Warner Bros. realized that there was a loophole in the contract: to retain the rights, they only had to ''make'' a spin-off -- there was no requirement to actually ''air'' it. So the studio secretly produced a pilot with CBS (a 24-minute synopsis of the movie with Louis Gossett Jr. as Bart and language that the network would never allow on air) and aired it once, late at night, to qualify it as a TV production. Several years later, they asked Brooks to make a sequel, and when he refused on the grounds that they no longer held the rights, the execs brought Brooks onto the CBS lot and screened the pilot for him to prove their point -- although the sequel project died on its merits some time later. The ''Black Bart'' pilot only saw the light of day again as a bonus feature on the ''Blazing Saddles'' DVD release.
* In 2010, Creator/TurnerClassicMovies quietly aired [[http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article.html?id=484547%7C488308 a bizarre special]] in which Leonard Matlin interviewed Creator/WarrenBeatty in character as ComicStrip/DickTracy. This special was made solely so that Beatty could extend the rights he held to make a second ''Film/DickTracy'' film. A second special would air in 2023, with Beatty again portraying both Dick and himself, with [[TalkingToHimself Dick actively complaining about the film and the modern film industry to Beatty]].

* The [[ContractualObligationProject "contractual obligation album"]]. When an artist wants out of their contract but is required to produce a certain number of albums first, they will often dump the ragtag recordings that didn't make the cut for their other albums (B-sides, demos, live performances, and assorted unreleased content) into a CD case and push it out the door. The appropriately-titled ''AudioPlay/MontyPythonsContractualObligationAlbum'' is a typical example. Sometimes, the artist won't even care enough to release previously-unheard material, and will simply compile a GreatestHitsAlbum to do this.
* Music/BobDylan's ''[[MeaningfulName The Copyright Extension Collection]]'' was an official 4-CDR release by Creator/SonyMusicEntertainment of many unreleased sessions and alternate takes from the early 60s. Much of this music had remained unreleased simply because it was not commercially viable, but the copyright laws in effect when it was made would open it to the public domain unless the studio publicly exercised its copyright within 50 years. The studio did not want to draw much attention to this calculated business decision, so released the album as a limited edition of 100 copies in just a few European markets with little promotion. The set became immensely popular and copies sell for high prices - the music has not been released again. Ironically, its limited availability and official status has encouraged far more downloading than if it had passed unnoticed into the public domain.
** Creator/CapitolRecords responded to a similar copyright crisis by continually releasing rarities compilations from Music/TheBeachBoys, including several [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes rare fan-favorites]] that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools probably would've never seen the light of day otherwise]]
* Music/TheHumanLeague's 1981 single "Boys and Girls", the debut release of their "Mk. II" incarnation (though simultaneously the last song in their Mk. I iteration's DarkWave style), was desperately rushed through production to begin clearing their heavy debts to Creator/VirginRecords. As an indicator of this, neither Joanne Catherall nor Susan Ann Sulley (then freshly added to the band's lineup) appear on the song despite being depicted on the single's cover, thanks to them still being in school at the time.
* Due to a contract dispute, Music/{{Heart|Band}}'s original label, Mushroom Records, released an album, ''Magazine'', without their involvement in 1977. The band obtained an injunction and were able to re-record and remix it after the court found that they owed Mushroom a second album in 1978.
* In 1979, Music/TheAlanParsonsProject were nearing the end of their first contract with Arista Records when they came up with ''The Sicilian Defence'', a hastily-recorded collection of sound scraps meant to fulfill the contract so the band could focus on negotiating a new contract without worrying about splitting time and attention between negotiations and music-making. The name, taken from a series of opening moves in chess, was quite apt, given the album was conceived as a chess move against Arista by band manager and songwriter Eric Woolfson. While never intended for public consumption, ''The Sicilian Defence'' was finally given an official release as part of ''The Complete Albums Collection'' in 2014.
* Music/LouReed's ''Music/MetalMachineMusic'', a double album consisting of Lou Reed playing droning/squealing guitar feedback in GratuitousPanning for over 60, joyless minutes, is ''usually'' believed to be an attempt to get around a restrictive contract at RCA which required Reed to release two more albums before he could get out of it. It is said that recording contracts ever since contain a "''Metal Machine Music'' Clause" which states that the albums an artist releases under the contract must sound 'like themselves'.

* After 5 years, the sponsors of the Pinball/MagicGirl pinball machine were wondering what they would get for their money, and even considering a lawsuit against the creator, given that the last they had seen of the machine was a barely playable prototype at an Expo in 2015. To stave off the lawsuit, in 2017, they all received.. manufactured copies of the same prototype, with all the faults still there, and some additional bugs introduced by expensive parts being missing.

* ''Theatre/HMSPinafore'' was a huge hit for Creator/GilbertAndSullivan in their native Britain, but by the time they attempted to mount a production in the United States, they found that audiences were already familiar with unauthorized productions that had been "pirated" from performances seen in England. Their next musical, somewhat inspired by the experience, was ''Theatre/ThePiratesOfPenzance''. This time they premiered the show in America, but they still needed a British premiere for copyright back home, and couldn't be rehearsing two casts at once. Solution? Just before the Broadway opening, they had a (no doubt bewildered) touring company of ''Pinafore'' throw together a "British premiere" of ''Pirates'', with one day's rehearsal, at an obscure theatre in an English seaside town.

* In a non-Western example, UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} had a law prohibiting arcade cabinets from being distributed without games. Manufacturers obliged by providing very simple games good for little else but testing the monitors and controls. Creator/{{Sega}}'s ''VideoGame/DottoriKun'' and Creator/{{Taito}}'s ''[[VideoGame/SpaceInvaders Minivader]]'' are typical examples, featuring primitive black-and-white graphics and no sound. Konami's ''[[WhackAMonster Mogura Desse]]'' is a slightly more sophisticated example; it has color and sound to go with its highly simplistic gameplay.
* In 2007, Creator/{{Atari}} commissioned a simple UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash game produced in just four days in order to maintain trademark on ''VideoGame/StarControl''.
* ''VideoGame/TonyHawksProSkater 5'' has been [[http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2015/10/02/wait-is-tony-hawks-pro-skater-5-an-ashcan-copy/170093/ called]] an Ashcan Copy, given that it was released in [[ObviousBeta a horribly unfinished state]] with {{game breaking bug}}s galore. Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk's long-term contract with Creator/{{Activision}}, signed in 2002, was set to expire at the end of 2015, and so Activision allegedly rushed the game out the door in September of that year as one last cash-grab (and possibly to generate enough renewed interest to put a new deal on the table). Unsurprisingly, the game received harsh negative reviews, and following the release, Tony Hawk was [[https://twitter.com/tonyhawk/status/968210496007503872 no longer]] [[https://twitter.com/tonyhawk/status/968652696726118400 affiliated with]] Activision. In 2020, however, the two resumed their collaboration with the release of ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2'', a faithful remake of the first two games in the series.
* The Spectrum version of ''[[VideoGame/{{Sqij}} SQIJ!]]'' was hastily slapped together [[ContractualObligationProject to fulfill the creator's contract with his publisher, The Power House, even though he had no real interest in working for them]]. The game is horribly slow, has no proper collision detection, and shipped with a game-breaking bug caused by the Caps Lock key being incorrectly enabled.
* The licensed ''Series/StreetHawk'' game would have been even more obscure than the series itself if not for becoming an example of this trope. Ocean Software had sold a gaming magazine the right to bundle the game with a particular issue, but development stalled and they were in danger of missing the deadline and having to give the mag their money back, so an ''entirely different game'' was hastily thrown together to meet the letter of the contract. It was almost universally panned as pure UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}}, and the proper ''Street Hawk'' game didn't fare much better with reviewers when it came out a year and a half later.
* Another ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' example, this one from gaming. When ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'' announced in 2021 that it would be releasing non-fungible token (NFT) artwork based on ''Hellraiser'' to tie in with a recent DLC pack featuring Pinhead, many fans of the game were outraged and saw it as a cash grab. Some fans immediately [[https://www.reddit.com/r/deadbydaylight/comments/qau23j/hellraiser_nft_situation_who_is_behind_it_all/ speculated]] that the release of the [=NFTs=] came down largely to the fact that the rights to the ''Hellraiser'' franchise were set to revert back to Creator/CliveBarker in December of that year, and that the rights holders created the [=NFTs=] as one final attempt to get some money out of the property.
* ''VideoGame/{{Popeye}}'' received a cheap supposed remake for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2021 to retain the rights to the character. It's cobbled together in the most slapdash way possible from a [[https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/historic/polygon-pirates-low-poly-3d-art-by-synty-92579 low-poly pirate-themed asset pack]] and some [[https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/Artists/3dmpro free Popeye models from Turbo Squid]], and the development studio Sabec were so aware of how low-quality it was they didn't even bother to put their name on the title screen or cover of the box.

* This trope is the first point on ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' writer David Christopher Bell's list of [[https://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-why-every-damn-movie-sequel-nowadays/ "6 Brilliant Explanations for Why Modern Movies Are So Stupid"]], describing it as "a juggling act of rushed sequels". He mentions several movies made solely to retain franchise rights, including the ''Fantastic Four'', ''Dick Tracy'', ''Bourne Legacy'', and ''Hellraiser: Revelations'' examples listed above.

* ''Film/HellraiserRevelations'' was quickly whipped together, the filming taking place over a mere 11 days and the post-production going on for about three weeks, specifically so Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany could hold onto the rights to the ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' franchise long enough to get a planned remake off the ground. The result is widely regarded as the worst film in a franchise that has seen its fair share of bad sequels, to the point where Creator/CliveBarker (who wrote and directed the original film) [[https://twitter.com/RealCliveBarker/status/105189711416524800 publicly]] [[DisownedAdaptation disowned it]] and Creator/DougBradley (who played Pinhead in every film prior) refused to have any part in it.
** ''Film/ChildrenOfTheCornGenesis'' was also quickly rushed together by the Weinstein Company for the same reasons, and ended up about the same way.

* Creator/FourKidsEntertainment's infamous dub of ''Manga/OnePiece'' only exists because it was licensed from the same package that gave them the rights to ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi'', and Creator/ToeiAnimation pretty much ''forced'' [=4Kids=] to dub the show under penalty of losing the ''Doremi'' license.

* The main reason for the release of ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryWillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' was that Warner Bros.' license would have run out if they didn't release a new movie adaptation of ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''. It ended up backfiring'' spectacularly''; the Creator/RoaldDahl estate was so dissatisfied with the cartoon they [[SelfFulfillingProphecy revoked the license]] from Warner Bros. and gave it to Creator/{{Netflix}}. Though Warner was still able to greenlight a prequel to the story titled ''Wonka''.

* In 2010, Creator/TurnerClassicMovies quietly aired [[http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article.html?id=484547%7C488308 a bizarre special]] in which Leonard Matlin interviewed Creator/WarrenBeatty in character as ComicStrip/DickTracy. This special was made solely so that Beatty could extend the rights he held to make a second ''Film/DickTracy'' film.

** The 2015 movie, infamously dubbed ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' didn't fare any better, as it was rushed out to prevent the property's rights from reverting to Marvel. The rushed schedule led to a TroubledProduction and director Josh Trank's CreatorBreakdown. The final result was a significant BoxOfficeBomb and one of the worst-reviewed comic book movies ever made. Ironically, in 2019 Disney bought out most of Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox's assets, including the cinematic rights to the Fantastic Four. Thus, Fox's attempts to keep the rights out of Marvel's hands were ''at best'' [[Main/AllForNothing all for nothing]].

* The most widely-known example is ''Flash Comics'', which was actually the title of two different ashcans from different companies seeking claim to the title. Creator/DCComics' ''Flash Comics'' combined cover art from ''Adventure Comics'' #41 with pages from ''All-American Comics'' #8; Fawcett's ''Flash Comics'' (also printed under the title ''Thrill Comics'') featured the origin of Captain Thunder, who made his first regular appearance as [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] in ''Whiz Comics'' #2 (there was no ''Whiz Comics'' #1).

* Following the "DC Implosion" (where DC Comics cancelled a whole bunch of titles all at once) they "published" ''Cancelled Comic Cavalcade'', two 250 page editions of the comics which had been cancelled just to ensure copyright on the stories which had already been written & drawn. Only 35 copies were made, though black-and-white photocopies of the originals exist. The reprint was notable for being the first "appearance" of [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]] member Comicbook/{{Vixen}}.

* Marvel has pulled the same stealth claim trick more than once: after DC sued Fawcett regarding how close [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] was to their own Franchise/{{Superman}}, Marvel noticed that the superhero's name was legally up for grabs and created their own ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}} (given the company name, they couldn't be blamed). Then DC bought Fawcett and incorporated the now rebranded ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'' into their universe. In order to avoid the trademark falling into disuse and thus becoming available to their biggest competitors, Marvel has had to publish at least one ''Captain Marvel'' title every year or two since, leading to a number of ongoing series, limited series and one-shots featuring a range of characters using the Captain Marvel alias (the original Mar-Vell, many of his sons and clones, and the current incarnation who used to go by ComicBook/MsMarvel).

** The 2015 movie, infamously dubbed ''[[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fant4stic]]'' didn't fare any better, as it was rushed out to prevent the property's rights from reverting to Marvel. The rushed schedule led to a TroubledProduction and director Josh Trank's CreatorBreakdown. The final result was a significant BoxOfficeBomb and one of the worst-reviewed comic book movies ever made. Ironically, in 2019 Disney bought out most of Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox's assets, including the cinematic rights to the Fantastic Four. Thus, Fox's attempts to keep the rights out of Marvel's hands were [[Main/AllForNothing all for nothing]].

* ''Theatre/ThePiratesOfPenzance'', though by the British team of Creator/GilbertAndSullivan, had its premiere on Broadway to secure American copyright. (This was before international copyright law.) But the team still needed a British premiere for copyright back home, and couldn't be rehearsing two casts at once. Solution? Just before the Broadway opening, they had a (no doubt bewildered) touring company of ''Theatre/HMSPinafore'' throw together a "British premiere" of ''Pirates'', with one day's rehearsal, at an obscure theatre in an English seaside town.

While the Ashcan Copy originated in comics, many contemporary cases involve movie concepts optioned from other media, as such contracts usually include reversion clauses and film development is a notoriously [[DevelopmentHell lengthy and troubled process]]. A similar practice exists in television programming, where episodes of cancelled series are "burned off" in graveyard time slots.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Do not confuse]] with a somewhat wider use of the term (jocularly with a bit of SelfDeprecation, like miniature comics for promo, mostly freebie), which technically is no longer this trope.

* Saban Brands dubbed ''Smile Pretty Cure!'' as ''Anime/GlitterForce'' for this reason, as it was in the same package that gave the company the rights to ''Anime/DigimonFusion''.

* The main reason for the release of ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryWillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' was that Warner Bros.' license would have run out if they didn't release a new movie adaptation of ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''. It ended up backfiring'' spectacularly''; the Creator/RoaldDahl estate was so dissatisfied with the cartoon they revoked the license from Warner Bros. and gave it to Creator/{{Netflix}}. Oops. (Though Warner was still able to greenlight a prequel to the story titled ''Wonka'', set to release in 2023.)

* Red Eagle Entertainment rushed out an adaptation of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' in the form of a 22-minute "pilot" called ''Winter Dragon'', which follows the prologue of ''Eye of the World'', but with a twist ending. Starring Billy Zane as a surprisingly decent [[AffablyEvil Mephistophelian]] Ishamael and Max Ryan as a soft homey Lews Therin, who looks nothing like the leader of the free world. They keep talking and name-dropping, LT keeps calling his wife, then Ishy cures his insanity, shows that LT's home palace really is dark and run-down, that all his family is murdered, then offers a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with Shai'tan]]. Instead of killing himself by creating a volcano like in the book, LT saves on special effects and switches his insanity back on to stay with his family. [[https://twitter.com/Sedavision According to the director,]] [[ChristmasRushed filming began on January 20th and post-production was completed on February 4th]]. It aired less than a week later at 1:30 AM on the [[Creator/{{Fox}} FXX]] channel. The TV rights to the ''Wheel of Time'' series were set to revert from Red Eagle Entertainment (who has held them since the mid-2000s) to the Bandersnatch Group (which is owned by the Robert Jordan estate) on February 11th. Needless to say, [[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2015/02/wheel-of-time-pilot-harriet-statement Jordan's widow was not pleased.]] Threats of lawsuits against Red Eagle were made and when the dust finally settled Harriet was able to get the rights back and turn to Creator/AmazonPrime who produced an [[Series/TheWheelOfTime2022 actual series]] based on the novels. ''Winter Dragon'' is available on [=YouTube=], both the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUQE0-G_GeU original version]] and fan-edited [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lyWn9soBU8 Dusty Wheel Cut]] recut down to below 10 minutes.

* Red Eagle Entertainment rushed out an adaptation of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' in the form of a 22-minute "pilot" called ''Winter Dragon'', which follows the prologue of ''Eye of the World'', but with a twist ending. Starring Billy Zane as a surprisingly decent [[AffablyEvil Mephistophelian]] Ishamael and Max Ryan as a soft homey Lews Therin, who looks nothing like the leader of the free world. They keep talking and name-dropping, LT keeps calling his wife, then Ishy cures his insanity, shows that LT's home palace really is dark and run-down, that all his family is murdered, then offers a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with Shai'tan]]. Instead of killing himself by creating a volcano like in the book, LT saves on special effects and switches his insanity back on to stay with his family. [[https://twitter.com/Sedavision According to the director,]] [[ChristmasRushed filming began on January 20th and post-production was completed on February 4th]]. It aired less than a week later at 1:30 AM on the [[Creator/{{Fox}} FXX]] channel. The TV rights to the ''Wheel of Time'' series were set to revert from Red Eagle Entertainment (who has held them since the mid-2000s) to the Bandersnatch Group (which is owned by the Robert Jordan estate) on February 11th. Needless to say, [[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2015/02/wheel-of-time-pilot-harriet-statement Jordan's widow was not pleased.]] Threats of lawsuits against Red Eagle were made and when the dust finally settled Harriet was able to get the rights back and turn to Creator/AmazonPrime who are producing an actual series based on the novels. ''Winter Dragon'' is available on [=YouTube=], both the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUQE0-G_GeU original version]] and fan-edited [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lyWn9soBU8 Dusty Wheel Cut]] recut down to below 10 minutes.

* Due to a contract dispute, Music/{{Heart}}'s original label, Mushroom Records, released an album, ''Magazine'', without their involvement in 1977. The band obtained an injunction and were able to re-record and remix it after the court found that they owed Mushroom a second album in 1978.

* Music/LouReed's ''Music/MetalMachineMusic'', a double album consisting of Lou Reed playing droning/squealing guitar feedback in GratuitousPanning for 40 minutes, is ''usually'' believed to be an attempt to get around a restrictive contract at RCA which required Reed to release two more albums before he could get out of it. It is said that recording contracts ever since contain a "''Metal Machine Music'' Clause" which states that the albums an artist releases under the contract must sound 'like themselves'.

* ''VideoGame/{{Popeye}}'' received a cheap supposed remake for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2021 to retain the rights to the character.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* This trope was parodied in ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'', where a fictional version of the [='90s=] ''Fantastic Four'' movie is stated to be one of several movies made by Imagine Entertainment ([[SelfDeprecation the studio that makes the show]]), with the "crappy production" feature of the Ashcan Copy turned UpToEleven: Ron Howard was told by a drunk lawyer at the company Christmas party that Imagine's license on ''Fantastic Four'' would expire unless a film was made within the next six days. They immediately cast the film with the bartenders from the party, then hired the same bartenders to work the film's wrap party five days later.

* ''The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'' (scheduled for 2024) sounds like this. Creator/NewLineCinema and Creator/WarnerBros don't have live-action film rights to adapt anything Tolkien anymore, making this animated film could be seen as a move to ensure that Creator/{{Amazon}} (who produced the megabudget series ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'') won't be the only creators of Tolkien-based content in town in the near future.

* ''The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'' (scheduled for 2024) sounds like this. Creator/NewLineCinema and Creator/WarnerBros don't have live-action film rights to adapt anything Tolkien anymore, making this animated film could be seen as a move to ensure that Creator/{{Amazon}} (who produced ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'') won't be the only creators of Tolkien-based content in the near future.