Who Owns The Rights To The Tomorrow People TV Franchise?

I love talking about this kind of intellectual property puzzle. To put it simply but usefully: for the classic British run of 'The Tomorrow People' (the 1970s show), the catalogue is generally controlled by Fremantle, which handles a lot of the old Thames/ITV material. That’s the place to start if you’re looking for the original episodes or format rights tied to that incarnation.

But here’s the important practical bit — different adaptations mean separate rights. The CW’s 2013 take on 'The Tomorrow People' was produced and financed by modern TV outfits, so the companies involved with that reboot control the rights specific to their adaptation (production company, studio, and any distributors tied into that season). It’s common for format rights, distribution (streaming, DVD), and merchandising to be split across several entities and across territories.

If I were trying to license footage or make a new adaptation, I’d check the end credits for studio names, look up the show on IMDbPro or via company filings, and then reach out to Fremantle and the producing studio for the 2013 version. If you need absolute certainty, a quick consultation with a media rights lawyer or clearance specialist will save headaches — trust me, I’ve learned that the hard way when hunting down clips for fan projects.

I get a real kick out of digging into who owns cult shows, so here's the long, slightly nerdy take. The original 1970s British series 'The Tomorrow People' was created for Thames Television, and the legacy of Thames' library ended up folded into what is now Fremantle (formerly FremantleMedia). In practice that means Fremantle is the main place to look for rights to the classic episodes, the brand as it existed in that run, and many of the associated archive materials.

That said, rights are rarely monolithic. Over the decades different pieces — format rights, broadcast rights, home-video/streaming, merchandise, and so on — can be split, sold, or licensed to different companies and territories. The 2013 US reboot of 'The Tomorrow People' that aired on The CW was produced under modern production deals, so the companies that produced and financed that version (production houses and studios involved in that series) hold the specific rights for that adaptation and its episodes. Distribution and streaming rights for that reboot can be handled by yet another party.

So, if you want to clear something (a clip, a remake, or merch), I'd start by contacting Fremantle for the vintage series, and then check the closing credits or industry databases for the 2013 version to find the producing studio. Rights departments, IMDbPro, or company registries are your friends here — and if you’re serious about licensing, getting legal clearance through a specialist is worth it.

As someone who collects vintage TV trivia, my short take is: the original 1970s 'The Tomorrow People' rights live with Fremantle (they inherited much of the Thames/ITV catalogue), while the 2013 US reboot’s rights belong to the production and studio companies that created that specific series. It’s not one single owner for everything — format, broadcast, streaming, and merch rights can be split between different companies and territories. If you need to license anything, check the specific series’ credits and contact Fremantle for the classic run and the producing studio(s) for the reboot; if it’s important, get a rights clearance pro involved so you don’t run into surprises.