View all headlines Subscribe to RSS

Watchmen Trial Date Pushed Back

By Matt Brady
posted: 17 December 2008 09:53 am ET

Advertisement
Text Size:
According to The Los Angeles Times, the federal judge hearing the lawsuit over the fate of the Watchmen film has moved the trial date back two weeks to January 20th, and has refused to make a pre-trial summary judgment, something that was requested by both sides in the case, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros.

Judge Gary Allen Feess said that due to the complexity of the contracts between Fox and Watchmen producer Larry Gordon, a trial is required.

The feud between the two studios dates back to February when Fox sued Warner Bros, claiming that Gordon, who assigned the Watchmen film rights to Warner Bros, did not posses them. Gordon did have an option to acquire Fox’s remaining interest in Watchmen, but that, Fox asserts, was never exercised. In Fox’s eyes, it held, and holds the film rights to the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons graphic novel, dating back to a 1994 turnaround agreement. During the time Fox was exploring making the film, it spent over $1 million.

Warner Bros. countered, saying that Fox has no copyright on the movie, and admits that Gordon offered the project to Fox in 2005, before he took it to Warner Bros.

The movie, directed by Zack Snyder, is slated to open in theaters nationwide on March 6th, though Fox has requested an injunction that would keep the film from theaters until the case is settled.
The Fourth Kind

Community

Blog@
  1. 11.8.2009 | Russ Burlingame
    WB Rolls Out a Strong Kids? DVD Slate in Time for Holidays
    Warner Brothers? WB Kids imprint is doing what Disney doesn?t: this holiday season, they?re adding to their extensive animation/home video catalog...
  2. 11.7.2009 | Russ Burlingame
    Dark Horse?s Casper the Friendly Ghost 60th Anniversary Special a Must-Buy for Golden Age Fans
    One of the charms of a collection of old comics (like Dark Horse?s upcoming Casper the Friendly Ghost 60th Anniversary Special hardcover, available...
  3. 11.7.2009 | Isabelle Burtan
    A Tribute to Alan Tudyk, the Pop Rock of Cult
    Perhaps the greatest power?and danger?a huge fan of anything holds is her ability to be blinded by her adoration, losing all common sense, heaping...
Marketplace Advertisements