Watchmen in trouble

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Chimera 1

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Don't get to ready to play or see The Watchmen. This franchise is in trouble:

1. WATCHING THE WATCHMEN LAWSUIT.
Fox has won a round in the ongoing battle over the rights to graphic
novel WATCHMEN, which is being turned into a feature film by Warner
Bros., according to VARIETY. A judge has denied a motion filed by Warner
Bros. to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Fox in February over their right
to make the film.

Fox could end up as a profit participant in the film, costing WB
millions in box office cash. Fox's legal team says it is looking to
prevent the film from being released altogether.

WATCHMEN the film has been in development for 20 years, and finally
began filming under director Zack Snyder last September. WB was set to
release the film, starring Patrick Wilson and Jackie Earle Haley, on
March 6, 2009, the same weekend as 300 opened last year.

The basis of Fox's suit is the contention that it never gave up the
rights to WATCHMEN. According to federal Judge Gary Allen Feess, Fox
retained distribution rights to the graphic novel through a 1991 claim.
Also, Feess seems to have agreed with a 1994 turnaround deal with
producer Larry Gordon that Gordon acquired an option to acquire Fox's
remaining interest and never followed through, thereby leaving Fox with
its rights under the 1994 agreement.

"It is our company's policy not to comment on pending litigation and
thus will not comment on the specifics of this case," WB said in
statement. "That said, the court's ruling simply means that the parties
will engage in discovery and proceed with the litigation. The judge did
not opine at all on the merits other than to conclude that Fox satisfied
the pleading requirements. We respectfully disagree with Fox's position
and do not believe they have any rights in and to this project."

The judge wants the discovery process, normally allowed up to two years,
to be hastened as WATCHMEN is set to be released this spring.

"Warner Bros.' production and anticipated release of THE WATCHMEN motion
picture violates 20th Century Fox's long-standing motion picture rights
in THE WATCHMEN property," Fox said in a statement. The film's official
title is actually WATCHMEN, as well as the source material, a graphic
novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons.

"We will be asking the court to enforce Fox's copyright interests in THE
WATCHMEN and enjoin the release of the Warner Bros. film and any related
WATCHMEN media that violate our copyright interests in that property,"
the statement concludes.

Fox would rather see the project killed altogether rather than collect a
percentage at the box office. "When you have copyright infringement,
there are some damages you never recover," a source close to the
litigation told VARIETY.

Fox has spent upwards of $1 million developing WATCHMEN, but had not
previously taken legal action against the project, which has been in
development at Paramount for several years.

This case looks to resemble closely one over THE DUKES OF HAZZARD, also
involving WB and Feess. The studio agreed in 2005 to pay producer Robert
B. Clark at least $17.5 million for infringing on the copyright to his
1974 United Artists' film MOONRUNNERS, which eventually became the basis
of WB's TV show THE DUKES OF HAZZARD.

Warner Bros. settled the HAZZARD suit while up against the release of
the feature, which could have seen all copies of the film impounded by
federal marshals.
 
Its better in a new thread anyway. We can talk STRICTLY this legal crap here.....^^^^ I hate fux so much.
 
Already being discussed: https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1097434&postcount=721

It will get settled, though. And it doesn't really affect merchandising anyway because Fox has no rights there.

I don't know. They have the right to the graphic novel which affects everything, the movie, the game and any other merchandise made. So if they stop the movie which is what Fox wants to do then everything will be stopped. That will suck because the movie and the game look amazing.
 
Fox could end up as a profit participant in the film, costing WB millions in box office cash.

No wonder they want to move Harry Potter to next summer. :rolleyes:

Warner Bros. settled the HAZZARD suit while up against the release of the feature, which could have seen all copies of the film impounded by federal marshals.

If only that had happened. :lol
 
What's odd is Fox's claim of "Copyright Infringement". To be technical, the true copyright for WATCHMEN as an intellectual property is owned by DC Comics (and ultimately, Time Warner). Fox's legitimate claim is that they own the theatrical film rights. And it looks like they have a solid case there, but it's wholly separate from standard "copyright infringement". That alone leads me to believe that they're just playing hardball and trying to bend WB over the barrel for as much $$$ as possible. This won't kill the film itself.
 
I don't know. They have the right to the graphic novel which affects everything, the movie, the game and any other merchandise made. So if they stop the movie which is what Fox wants to do then everything will be stopped. That will suck because the movie and the game look amazing.

They don't want to stop the movie. They just want to get paid.
 
They don't want to stop the movie. They just want to get paid.

I tend to believe this as well, but I heard yesterday that Fox isn't seeking a payment of any kind and they want the film shelved. Period.

Odds are you'll see Watchmen in theaters though. Snyder may have to go over WB's heads and sell his soul to Fox, but he'll get this thing out one way or the other.
 
Yeah, it does seem odd that they would want to cancel the film completely, if there is a way to make money from it without having to produce it themselves. But then, this is Hollywood we're talking about. Sometimes normal business sense doesn't apply there. Petty egos tend to rule the day instead.
 
I think they're just using the "We'd rather stop the movie" arguement as a bluff to gain more leverage. They know they'd get more money out of the other studio if the other studio goes into desperation mode to try and save the picture.
 
I tend to believe this as well, but I heard yesterday that Fox isn't seeking a payment of any kind and they want the film shelved. Period.

Odds are you'll see Watchmen in theaters though. Snyder may have to go over WB's heads and sell his soul to Fox, but he'll get this thing out one way or the other.

I would agree if Fox hadn't sat on this film for over 14 years already. For some reason they want this film stopped. Makes you wonder what is really going on.... is it a personal vendetta against the authors of the graphic novel or is it Fox's ego. Since the digital animation age they could have made this film a long time ago. What is the real issue Fox?:dunno
 
I would agree if Fox hadn't sat on this film for over 14 years already. For some reason they want this film stopped. Makes you wonder what is really going on.... is it a personal vendetta against the authors of the graphic novel or is it Fox's ego. Since the digital animation age they could have made this film a long time ago. What is the real issue Fox?:dunno

Snyder is quoted of saying he only took the project to "save" the film, because there was talk of bringing the Watchmen into the modern age with Bush, the war on terror, etc.

Maybe Fox is hung up on that idea?

Or maybe the project is cursed?
 
so this isn't the first time WB did this...they need to get their ducks in a row before they start filming where others have the rights.
 
So was 300 at first. Now? Not so much.

Frank Miller the author of 300 wants to write a sequel to the 300 movie. Alan Moore the author of Watchmen doesn't want to have anything to do with any film, period. It's possible for them to write a sequel without the author, but that would be complete ^^^^, I doubt they'd try it.


I F^^^n' hate Fox! Greedy bastards only care about $ and nothing else.
 
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