Editing Agatha Christie (section)

=== {{anchor|Christie Estate}} Estate and subsequent ownership of works ===

Christie was unhappy about becoming "an employed wage slave",<ref name="thompson"/>{{Rp|428}} and for tax reasons set up a [[private limited company|private company]] in 1955, Agatha Christie Limited, to hold the rights to her works. In about 1959 she transferred her 278-acre home, Greenway Estate, to her daughter, [[Rosalind Hicks]].<ref name="rosalind_obit_telegraph">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1476488/Rosalind-Hicks.html "Obituary: Rosalind Hicks"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308122431/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1476488/Rosalind-Hicks.html |date=8 March 2021 }}, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 13 November 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2015.</ref><ref name=":4">{{cite web |date=12 January 1976 |title=1976: Crime writer Agatha Christie dies |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/12/newsid_4440000/4440120.stm |access-date=30 October 2019 |website=[[BBC]] on this Day |archive-date=12 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112131733/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/12/newsid_4440000/4440120.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1968, when Christie was almost 80, she sold a 51% stake in Agatha Christie Limited (and the works it owned) to Booker Books (better known as [[Booker Group#Booker Author's Division|Booker Author's Division]]), which by 1977 had increased its stake to 64%.<ref name="Morgan1984"/>{{Rp|355|quote=In the summer of 1968 a subsidiary [of Booker McConnel], Bookers Books, acquired a fifty-one percent holding in Agatha Christie Ltd (subsequently increased to sixty-four percent).}}<ref>{{cite news |date=16 September 1977 |title=Booker is ready for more |page=4 |work=[[The Journal (Newcastle upon Tyne newspaper)|The Newcastle Journal]]}}</ref> Agatha Christie Limited still owns the worldwide rights for more than 80 of Christie's novels and short stories, 19 plays, and nearly 40 TV films.<ref name="guardianchorion"/>

In the late 1950s, Christie had reputedly been earning around £100,000 (approximately {{Inflation|index=UK|value=100000|start_year=1958|r=-5|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) per year. Christie sold an estimated 300 million books during her lifetime.<ref>{{cite news |title=1976: Crime writer Agatha Christie dies |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/12/newsid_4440000/4440120.stm |website=bbc |date=12 January 1976 |access-date=30 September 2020 |archive-date=12 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112131733/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/12/newsid_4440000/4440120.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> At the time of her death in 1976, "she was the best-selling novelist in history."<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gYL2DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA4 |title=Queering Agatha Christie: Revisiting the Golden Age of Detective Fiction |last=Bernthal |first=J. C. |date=2016 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-33533-9 |pages=1–24 |language=en |access-date=31 December 2020 |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801014811/https://books.google.com/books?id=gYL2DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA4 |url-status=live}}</ref>
One estimate of her total earnings from more than a half-century of writing is $20&nbsp;million (approximately ${{Inflation|US|20|1976|r=1}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Books:Agatha Christie: The Queen of the Maze |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,913961-1,00.html |magazine=Time |date=26 January 1976 |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=22 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022102218/http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,913961-1,00.html |url-status=live}}</ref> As a result of her tax planning, her will left only £106,683{{Refn|According to other sources, her estate was valued at £147 810.<ref>[https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar "Find a will"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190919054031/https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar |date=19 September 2019 }}. Gov.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2020</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} (approximately {{Inflation|index=UK|value=106683|start_year=1976|r=-3|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) net, which went mostly to her husband and daughter along with some smaller bequests.<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{cite news |date=1 May 1976 |title=£106,000 will of Dame Agatha Christie |page=2 |work=[[The Times]]}}</ref> Her remaining 36% share of Agatha Christie Limited was inherited by Hicks, who preserved her mother's works, image, and legacy until her own death 28 years later.<ref name="rosalind_obit_telegraph"/> The family's share of the company allowed them to appoint 50% of the board and the chairman, and retain a veto over new treatments, updated versions, and republications of her works.<ref name="rosalind_obit_telegraph"/><ref name="birminghampost">[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Agatha+Christie+begins+new+chapter+after+pounds+10m+selff.-a060775079 Agatha Christie begins new chapter after £10m selloff] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517120417/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Agatha+Christie+begins+new+chapter+after+pounds+10m+selff.-a060775079 |date=17 May 2014 }}, The Free Library, 4 June 1998.</ref>

[[File:Greenway - Agatha Christie's House (26192476850).jpg|thumb|right|[[Greenway Estate|Greenway]] in Devon, Christie's summer home from 1938. The estate was used as a setting for some of her plots, including ''[[Dead Man's Folly]]''. The final episode of ''[[Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'' was also filmed here in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway/visitor-information/article-1355807820842 |title=Poirot investigates his last mystery at Greenway |work=NationalTrust.org.uk |access-date=28 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629174354/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway/visitor-information/article-1355807820842/ |archive-date=29 June 2014}}</ref>]]

In 2004, Hicks' obituary in ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' noted that she had been "determined to remain true to her mother's vision and to protect the integrity of her creations" and disapproved of "[[merchandising]]" activities.<ref name="rosalind_obit_telegraph"/> Upon her death on 28&nbsp;October 2004, the Greenway Estate passed to her son Mathew Prichard. After his stepfather's death in 2005, Prichard donated Greenway and its contents to the [[National Trust]].<ref name="rosalind_obit_telegraph"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Jerome |title=The Big Question: How big is the Agatha Christie industry, and what explains her enduring appeal? |work=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-big-question-how-big-is-the-agatha-christie-industry-and-what-explains-her-enduring-appeal-1631296.html |access-date=6 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402122640/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-big-question-how-big-is-the-agatha-christie-industry-and-what-explains-her-enduring-appeal-1631296.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Christie's family and [[Trust (law)|family trusts]], including great-grandson James Prichard, continue to own the 36% stake in Agatha Christie Limited,<ref name="guardianchorion">[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/feb/29/acorn-media-bys-stake-agatha-christie Acorn Media buys stake in Agatha Christie estate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426063718/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/feb/29/acorn-media-bys-stake-agatha-christie |date=26 April 2017 }}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 29 December 2012.</ref> and remain associated with the company. In 2020, James Prichard was the company's chairman.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agathachristie.com/about-agatha-christie-limited |title=About Agatha Christie Limited |website=The Home of Agatha Christie |access-date=18 April 2020 |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506184730/https://www.agathachristie.com/about-agatha-christie-limited |url-status=live}}</ref> Mathew Prichard also holds the [[copyright]] to some of his grandmother's later works including ''The Mousetrap''.<ref name="thompson"/>{{Rp|427}} Christie's work continues to be developed in a range of adaptations.<ref>{{cite web |date=14 September 2017 |title=Why do we still love the 'cosy crime' of Agatha Christie? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/agatha-christie-cosy-crime-novels-murder-mystery-writer-why-we-love-a7942901.html |access-date=16 November 2019 |website=[[The Independent]] |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116150547/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/agatha-christie-cosy-crime-novels-murder-mystery-writer-why-we-love-a7942901.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, Booker sold its shares in Agatha Christie Limited (at the time earning £2,100,000, approximately {{Inflation|index=UK|value=2100000|start_year=1998|r=-5|fmt=eq|cursign=£}} annual revenue) for £10,000,000 (approximately {{Inflation|index=UK|value=10000000|start_year=1998|r=-5|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) to [[Chorion (company)|Chorion]], whose portfolio of authors' works included the literary estates of [[Enid Blyton]] and [[Dennis Wheatley]].<ref name="birminghampost"/> In February 2012, after a [[management buyout]], Chorion began to sell off its literary assets.<ref name="guardianchorion"/> This included the sale of Chorion's 64% stake in Agatha Christie Limited to Acorn Media UK.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sweney |first=Mark |date=29 February 2012 |title=Acorn Media buys stake in Agatha Christie estate |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/feb/29/acorn-media-bys-stake-agatha-christie |access-date=16 March 2012 |archive-date=14 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514214701/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/feb/29/acorn-media-bys-stake-agatha-christie |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2014, [[RLJ Companies|RLJ Entertainment Inc.]] (RLJE) acquired Acorn Media UK, renamed it [[Acorn DVD|Acorn Media Enterprises]], and incorporated it as the RLJE UK development arm.<ref>{{cite web |date=2020 |title=RLJ Entertainment |url=http://www.rljentertainment.com/ |access-date=18 April 2020 |website=[[RLJ Entertainment]] |archive-date=8 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408132819/https://www.rljentertainment.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In late February 2014, media reports stated that the [[BBC]] had acquired exclusive TV rights to Christie's works in the UK (previously associated with [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]) and made plans with Acorn's co-operation to air new productions for the 125th anniversary of Christie's birth in 2015.<ref>[http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-02-28/david-walliams-heralds-new-era-for-bbc-as-the-new-home-of-agatha-christie-adaptations "New era for BBC as the new home of Agatha Christie adaptations"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323181201/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-02-28/david-walliams-heralds-new-era-for-bbc-as-the-new-home-of-agatha-christie-adaptations |date=23 March 2014 }}, ''[[Radio Times]]'', 28 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2015.</ref> As part of that deal, the BBC broadcast ''[[Partners in Crime (UK TV series)|Partners in Crime]]''<ref>{{cite web |title=Partners in Crime – Episode Guide |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02vf6rn/episodes/guide |access-date=16 April 2016 |work=[[BBC]] One |archive-date=29 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150729020634/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02vf6rn/episodes/guide |url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[And Then There Were None (miniseries)|And Then There Were None]]'',<ref>{{cite web |date=28 December 2015 |title=And Then There Were None |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06v2v52 |access-date=16 April 2016 |work=[[BBC]] One |archive-date=25 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325074038/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06v2v52 |url-status=live}}</ref> both in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |date=24 August 2016 |title=BBC One plans lots more Agatha Christie |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-37174913 |access-date=24 June 2020 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123005213/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-37174913 |url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequent productions have included ''[[The Witness for the Prosecution (miniseries)|The Witness for the Prosecution]]''<ref>{{cite web |title=The Witness for the Prosecution |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086z959 |access-date=18 April 2020 |website=[[BBC]] One |language=en-GB |archive-date=12 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200912105735/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086z959 |url-status=live}}</ref> but plans to televise ''[[Ordeal by Innocence (TV series)|Ordeal by Innocence]]'' at Christmas 2017 were delayed because of controversy surrounding one of the cast members.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 January 2018 |title=Ed Westwick removed from BBC Agatha Christie drama Ordeal By Innocence |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42577505 |access-date=23 January 2018 |archive-date=30 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130090823/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42577505 |url-status=live}}</ref> The three-part adaptation aired in April 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ordeal by Innocence |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ytrgg |access-date=11 January 2019 |work=[[BBC]] One |archive-date=2 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202144005/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ytrgg |url-status=live}}</ref> A [[The ABC Murders (TV series)|three-part adaptation]] of ''[[The A.B.C. Murders]]'' starring [[John Malkovich]] and [[Rupert Grint]] began filming in June 2018 and was first broadcast in December 2018.<ref>{{cite web |date=24 May 2018 |title=All-star cast announced for new BBC One Agatha Christie thriller The ABC Murders |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/abc-murders |access-date=11 January 2019 |work=[[BBC]] |archive-date=12 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112123655/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/abc-murders |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ABC">{{cite web |date=15 December 2018 |title=The ABC Murders Begins on BBC One on Boxing Day at 9pm |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/the-abc-murders |access-date=20 December 2018 |publisher=[[BBC Media Centre]] |archive-date=19 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219232938/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/the-abc-murders |url-status=live}}</ref> A two-part adaptation of ''[[The Pale Horse]]'' was broadcast on BBC1 in February 2020.<ref>[http://www.mammothscreen.com/company-news/bbc-one-announces-new-agatha-christie-thriller-the-pale-horse/ BBC One announces new Agatha Christie thriller The Pale Horse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925042653/http://www.mammothscreen.com/company-news/bbc-one-announces-new-agatha-christie-thriller-the-pale-horse/ |date=25 September 2020 }}, 24 June 2019, Mammoth Screen</ref> ''[[Death Comes as the End]]'' will be the next BBC adaptation.<ref>Paul Hirons, "[https://thekillingtimestv.wordpress.com/2018/12/29/death-comes-as-the-end-to-be-the-next-bbc-agatha-christie-adaptation/ Death Comes As The End to be the next BBC Agatha Christie adaptation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122185018/https://thekillingtimestv.wordpress.com/2018/12/29/death-comes-as-the-end-to-be-the-next-bbc-agatha-christie-adaptation/ |date=22 January 2021 }}", ''The Killing Times''. 29 December 2018</ref>

Since 2020, reissues of Christie's Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot novels by [[HarperCollins]] have removed "passages containing descriptions, insults or references to ethnicity".<ref>{{cite web |last=Simpson |first=Craig |title=Agatha Christie classics latest to be rewritten for modern sensitivities |website=The Telegraph |date=25 March 2023 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/25/agatha-christie-classics-latest-rewritten-modern-sensitivities/ | access-date=26 March 2023}}</ref>