When/How do you get the rights to adapt a work?

I had a similar situation recently. The author's estate maintains a webpage and they had information there on which publishers hold the rights for the various works. I then wrote to the publisher with just a basic inquiry about if the rights were available --- they are not as another production company had the same idea recently apparently.

Also, don't go sharing your work much (or at all) without the permission. My message back from them included very nice, but clear, warning not to do so and that if I did it would be completely unauthorized by them or the estate. Basically: will piss people off and you won't get the chance to option other works from them in the future.

/r/Screenwriting Thread