History Main / ContractualObligationProject

* Creator/ChristopherLambert was so disgusted with the re-written script for ''Film/HighlanderIITheQuickening'' that he wanted to drop out of the film. Contractual obligations forced him to finish it.
* Creator/RoyScheider did not originally want to appear in ''Film/Jaws2'', but had recently left the production of ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', which led to conflicts with Creator/UniversalPictures to whom he was locked into a multi-film contract with. The studio agreed to forgive his leaving ''The Deer Hunter'' if he did ''Jaws 2'', which they would count as the two remaining films of his contract with them. Scheider agreed to the terms, but was resentful of his involvement from the onset and clashed frequently with director Jeannot Szwarc.

* Creator/{{Disney}} inherited a bunch of movies from [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios Twentieth Century Fox]] following the former's expensive acquisition of the latter. Despite some speculation that some completed films might be cancelled, Disney took the effort to honor the existing contracts by giving full theatrical releases to all inherited films, even if some movies had InvisibleAdvertising as a result.

Similar to MoneyDearBoy except for the creator's goal in many instances is to avoid ''losing'' money as a result of [[ScrewedByTheLawyers getting sued for breach of contract, incurring legal expenses, and (in the worst-case scenario) having to pay damages]].

Compare with AshcanCopy, which is a project that is greenlit to avoid a penalty because the terms of a contract ''aren't'' being met, and MerchandiseDriven, where the writers of a show are contractually obligated to add elements inspired by real-life merchandise in order to advertise it. A fictional version usually involves ForcedCreativity.

* Both Creator/OttoPreminger and Creator/MarilynMonroe were forced to do the 1954 western ''River of No Return'' against their will, due to contractual obligations. They both expressed their frustration over the script which they considered below par. However, the film was a box office hit upon its release and remains a popular classic western. Monroe also agreed to take a supporting part in ''There's No Business Like Show Business'', a JukeboxMusical released the same year, in order to secure a leading role in ''Film/TheSevenYearItch''.

* In 1970, Music/TheRollingStones wanted to leave their then current record company Decca to form their own label but was told the were still under contract to product at least one more single for the company. To complete the contract but also stick it to Decca management whom they had grown to really detest by this time, the submitted the extremely profane song, Cocksucker Blues (aka Schoolboy Blues), a song that tells the tale of a young man going to London looking for gay sex in explicit detail. Naturally, Decca refused to release it, just as the the band had expected. It would have remained buried and unheard by anyone outside the band and record label if not for a German record label accidentally including it on a Rolling Stones box set "The Rest of the Best" in they released in 1983. Once this oversight was discovered, the box set was recalled and later reissued without Schoolboy Blues on it, but not before copies of the original version of the box set where sold and as a result the song was later able to be uploaded to the internet, where it has since develop a cult following.

* Back in the 1930s Chinese-American star Creator/AnnaMayWong was getting frustrated at playing DragonLady parts and exotic supporting roles. She agreed to do one more - playing the daughter of Literature/FuManchu in ''Daughter of the Dragon'' - so she could star in the Creator/MarleneDietrich movie ''Film/ShanghaiExpress'', getting a more interesting part. ''Daughter of the Dragon'' marked the last time she ever played a DragonLady.

* Creator/BruceWillis starred in ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'', ''Film/TheSixthSense'' and ''Film/TheKid'' (the first two of which were monster hits) because of another film he'd been working on for Disney, ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_Brawler Broadway Brawler]]'', being scrapped early into principal photography for various reasons (mostly on Willis' end), with a three-picture deal between him and Disney ultimately brokered to prevent Disney from suing him; because of the fact that Disney had spent $20 million on an unfinished movie, Willis took a drastic cut in pay for ''Armageddon'' to help make up the difference.

* The only reason Creator/{{Freeform}} still airs the fundamentalist Christian show ''Series/The700Club'' is because it is under contract with televangelist Pat Robertson to do so, back when it was owned by his Christian Broadcasting Network, under the name CBN Satellite Service. Robertson has allegedly refused Disney's monetary offers to take his business elsewhere; it's likely that he's doing it out of spite in response to the network's "satanic" direction since the TurnOfTheMillennium. The network gets around the issue by scheduling it in undesirable slots and airing ContentWarnings which generally [[TakeThat mock the show]].

* An in-universe example in ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}''. Spider Jerusalem left the City but is forced to return due to a two-book contract. He eventually declares that one of the books will be an {{Omnibus}} re-release of the columns he's written so far. [[spoiler: And gets out of the second due to info-pollen induced dementia.]]

* The NCAA used to control all television rights for UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball. Starting in 1977, when they reached a 4-year deal with Creator/{{ABC}} that significantly expanded the number of games shown, the NCAA required that the network show a small number of games involving colleges from the lower-profile Division II and Division III (and, when it began in 1978, Division I-AA). ABC had no intention of taking any prime exposure away from Division I teams for these games, so they [[LoopholeAbuse scheduled them in the less-desirable early afternoon timeslots with very small regional footprints]] (often just 1 or 2 affiliates). In 1982, Creator/{{CBS}} was also granted rights to live games, but the NCAA subjected them to the same requirements, which they handled in much the same way. Most memorably, during the UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague players' strike that year, CBS burned off their Division III requirement by moving four games[[note]]Baldwin-Wallace at Wittenberg, West Georgia at Millsaps, Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Wisconsin-Stout, University of San Diego at Occidental[[/note]] to Sunday and putting them in the regular NFL timeslot to be aired on a regional basis. However, the NCAA's heavy-handed rules had frustrated many of the bigger schools, who banded together to form the College Football Association, which attempted to cut its own TV deal. This led to suits and countersuits between the NCAA and the CFA, until the US Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA in 1984, saying that their TV contracts violated the Sherman Antitrust Act, opening the way for schools and conferences to make TV deals and pushing the smaller schools out of the TV picture entirely.

* Creator/JohnCandy didn't want to make ''Film/WagonsEast'', but was contractually obliged. Sadly, this turned out to be his final film, as he died during production.

* When Music/MarvinGaye got divorced in 1977, he agreed to give his ex-wife half the proceeds from his next album. The result was ''Here, My Dear'', which was panned by critics and fans alike (although it's been VindicatedByHistory, making ''Magazine/RollingStone''[='=]s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time at #456). Rumors swirled that he intentionally made a bad album that wouldn't sell soon arose; other accounts suggest that she was going to get the money regardless, possibly making this an aversion.

* When Music/MarvinGaye got divorced in 1977, he agreed to give his ex-wife half the proceeds from his next album. The result was ''Here, My Dear'', which was panned by critics and fans alike (although it's been VindicatedByHistory, making the list in ''Magazine/RollingStone''[='=]s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time at #456). Rumors that he intentionally made a bad album that wouldn't sell soon arose; other accounts suggest that she was going to get the money regardless, possibly making this an aversion.

* Music/MichaelJackson[='=]s ''Number Ones'' compilation album was released solely so that Jackson could fulfill his contract with Sony Music, following a high-profile legal dispute with them that stalled promotion for ''Music/{{Invincible}}''.

* When Music/MarvinGaye got divorced in 1977, he agreed to give his ex-wife half the proceeds from his next album. The result was ''Here, My Dear'', which was panned by critics and fans alike (although critics praised it in retrospect, making the list in ''Magazine/RollingStone''[='=]s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time at #456). Rumors that he intentionally made a bad album that wouldn't sell soon arose; other accounts suggest that she was going to get the money regardless, possibly making this an aversion.

* Music/KellyClarkson pretty much said this for the execrable ''Film/FromJustinToKelly'' – "{{Two Words|AddedEmphasis}}: contractually obligated!"

* Creator/ThatGameCompany made a three-game deal with Creator/{{Sony}} in order to put themselves on the map of the video game industry. The results were ''VideoGame/{{flOw}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Flower}}'', and ''VideoGame/{{Journey}}'', and the aforementioned deal is the sole reason why they remained Sony console-exclusives for so long. Only in 2019 was ''Flower'' put for sale on the Creator/EpicGames Store, and ''Journey'' marked there as "coming soon".

* Though Music/TalkTalk split up shortly after the release of ''Music/LaughingStock'' in 1991, their contract with Creator/PolydorRecords required one more album to be fulfilled. Frontman Mark Hollis would thus come out of retirement in 1998 solely to put out a SelfTitledAlbum and complete his end of the bargain, quietly stepping back into retirement right after.

* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger only agreed to star in ''Film/RawDeal'' after much haggling in exchange for dissolving his multi-picture agreement with Dino [=De Laurentiis=]. He had one picture left with the producer and was actually very interested in doing ''Film/TotalRecall1990'', but [=De Laurentiis=] objected, feeling that he was not suitable for the lead role of Quaid. Instead, Creator/PatrickSwayze was already cast before the bankruptcy.

Compare with AshcanCopy, which is a project that is greenlit to avoid a penalty because the terms of a contract ''aren't'' being met, and MerchandiseDriven, where the writers of a show are contractually obligated to add elements inspired by real-life merchandise in order to advertise it.

* Subverted in regards to Creator/ButchHartman who, rather than being under contract to make another cartoon following ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'', had heard that Nickelodeon was looking for a boys' action cartoon and willingly pitched his idea for ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''.

* Music/{{Logic}} was mocked for announcing his retirement from hip-hop in 2020 before realising he was still contractually obligated to put out one more album and one mixtape for Def Jam. The resulting album ended up being a self-indulgent pastiche project, while the mixtape was blasted as forgettable and recycling of his old successes.

Note that this is mostly an American trope, due to the way in which Common Law works. Many other countries forbid forcing a person to work against their will unless the person who signed the contract also compromised in some way or another to work on that project. There are a few exceptions to this, especially when divorced people are involved.

* Creator/SamRaimi was obligated to make ''Film/SpiderMan3'' and to add Gwen Stacy as a love interest and ComicBook/{{Venom}} as the main antagonist, despite stating that he doesn't like the latter character. Originally the main antagonists were Sandman and Harry Osborn as the new ComicBook/GreenGoblin. Venom and Gwen were added at the insistence of Avi Arad and the producers (much like a contractual obligation), making the movie messy and the reason why it's the lowest point of the first Spider-Man trilogy. After those problems, Raimi left the studios, so the reboot ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' was made later.

* Music/MichaelJackson[='=]s ''Number Ones'' compilation album was released solely so that Jackson could fulfill his contract with Sony Music, following a high-profile legal dispute with them.

* Both ''Naughty Boys'' and ''Service'' by Music/YellowMagicOrchestra were put out solely to fulfill the band's contract with Alfa Records as fast as possible; the group originally planned to dissolve after the release of ''Music/{{Technodelic}}'' thanks to CreativeDifferences, but Alfa still required two more albums. Tellingly, ''Naughty Boys'' and ''Service'' both released the same year, and the latter features a number of Japanese-language comedy skits to pad out the runtime.

** Al was faced with two stipulations for his ''Music/DareToBeStupid'' album. The first was that one of the songs had to be a Music/CyndiLauper parody, and the second was that he had to include a cover. He met them with "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch" and the ''WesternAnimation/GeorgeOfTheJungle'' theme song, respectively. Al put as little effort as he could for "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch", [[WriterRevolt singing with a rock-bottom demeanor]].
** For ''Music/PolkaParty'', the label forced him to include a Christmas song. Al gave them "Christmas at Ground Zero".