The Locke & Key feature film has been tied up in contractual problems, according to comic writer Joe Hill in an interview with MTV.  The first issues were the contracts between Universal (see "Universal Gets 'Locke & Key'") and creator Hill and IDW.  "Universal took a long, long time to come through with an acceptable contract for myself and IDW," Hill told MTV. 

Now that those issues have been resolved, there’s a new problem:  Universal is worried that if it makes a movie Fox could release its unaired pilot (see "'Locke & Key' Trailer") and "steal their thunder."  Fox, on the other hand, would like to recoup some of the money it spent on the pilot.  And, as Hill noted, "The lawyers all have to validate their salaries."

In the meantime, Hill and superstar writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the team ostensibly working on Locke & Key, are working together on Tales from the Darkside, a reboot of the horror anthology show for The CW. 

Despite all that, Hill still thinks a Locke & Key movie can happen.  "Alex and Bob are the two most tenacious people I’ve ever met, and if anyone can see Locke & Key through the contractual maze, and on into production, it’s them," he said.