New 'Superman' Copyright Lawsuit Threatens Film's Release Date, Studio Responds
A newly filed copyright lawsuit could threaten the impending release of James Gunn‘s Superman.
The DC movie, starring David Corenswet as the iconic hero, is set to premiere in theaters on July 11.
However, Warner Bros. and DC are being sued by the estate of one of Superman’s creators, which is trying to block the release in multiple countries due to what they are describing as a copyright violation.
Keep reading to find out more…
According to reporting by Deadline, the lawsuit was filed in New York on Friday (January 31) by Joseph Shuster‘s estate.
If you were unaware, Joseph originated Superman alongside co-creator Jerome Siegel.
The lawsuit asks for “damages and injunctive relief for Defendants’ ongoing infringement in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, as well as declaratory relief establishing the Shuster Estate’s ownership rights across relevant jurisdictions.”
This would essentially stop the movie from being released in these territories.
Joseph‘s estate recognized that the creator sold Superman’s copyright to the company that would become DC back in the ’30s. However, the laws regarding copyright are different outside of the United States.
According to the lawsuit, “The copyright laws of countries with the British legal tradition—including Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia—contain provisions automatically terminating such assignments 25 years after an author’s death, vesting in the Shuster Estate the co-author’s undivided copyright interest in such countries.”
Both Joseph and Jerome passed away in the ’90s. Thus, the estate argues that they resumed control of the copyright 25 years later.
“Yet Defendants continue to exploit Superman across these jurisdictions without the Shuster Estate’s authorization—including in motion pictures, television series, and merchandise—in direct contravention of these countries’ copyright laws, which require the consent of all joint copyright owners to do so,” the lawsuit reads.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. and DC issued a statement, saying, “We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit, and will vigorously defend our rights.”
The estate is seeking a jury trial and to stop Superman from being used in these territories without their permission.
We’ll update you as we learn more.