[ghaff]

>It’s true, a good editor or producer collaborates with the creative to get it across the finish line, flawed as it is.

If it's a studio film, they may well fire the director and hire a new one. And, of course, screenwriters are casually script doctored with or without their consent.

[hosh]

Sure, because it is funded by a commercial concern and they are in the business of selling entertainment.

With books, the balance of power isn’t so skewed to the publisher, though I suppose it depends on what it is.

I don’t know what circumstances Tolkien’s unfinished work was released, though it seems like his son toiled away at them for years.

[ghaff]

True, and there's typically far less money (or big expenses) involved with books.

I always assumed Christopher Tolkien had some sort of "do with them what you think best" agreement with his father although I don't actually know. Not that there's anything particularly special in written word beyond Tolkien's originals.