Homer Hickam Sues Movie Studio Over Rocket Boys Musical

Universal Faces $20M Lawsuit By Homer Hickam Over ‘October Sky’
“Author and former NASA engineer Homer Hickam is suing Universal for north of $20M over its October Sky musical. In a breach of contract, fraud and multi-claim jury-seeking complaint filed today, the Rocket Boys memoirist claims that Universal Pictures “has taken the completely fallacious position” that Hickam gave over all the rights to the source material to the studio. Its 1999 film October Sky was based on Rocket Boys, and the musical premiered onstage last year.”
Author Sues Universal Over Musical Theater Adaptation of ‘October Sky’, Hollywood Reporter
“A decade later, Hickam developed and produced Rocket Boys into a live stage musical with the approval of Universal, according to the lawsuit. In 2015, Universal decided to create an October Sky musical, purportedly based on the film and Hickam’s memoir, and has shut down the author’s stage show.”
– Text of lawsuit
– October Sky, Wikipedia