Last time we checked in on 20th Century Fox’s impending lawsuit against Warner Bros. over the rights to the Watchmen movie, mum was the word on how near or far the studios were in coming to a resolution.
Now comes word that a Los Angeles federal judge has pushed back the Watchmen trial date to January 20, 2009, after refusing to issue a ruling on whether Fox or Warner Bros. owned the proprietary rights to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons‘ groundbreaking graphic novel.
Talk about indecision.
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The judge, Gary Allen Feess cited an impending criminal trial as the reason he was unable to make a ruling on the Watchmen case. Judge Feess also denied motions from both studios to make a pre-trial summary judgment, stating that there was too much room for interpretation in the contracts between Fox and Watchmen Producer Larry Gordon, and that the matter would have to be fully examined and settled at trial.
If your memory is a bit fuzzy: the lawsuit in question was originally filed by Fox back earlier this year. The studio claims that Gordon never honored the full stipulations of a deal he struck with Fox back in the mid-90’s when he bought out the rights to Watchmen, thereby nullifying any transfer of ownership. No explanation why Fox waited so long to cry foul against Gordon and Warner Bros. (but it would be nice to have that particular question answered).
Since the lawsuit came to light, the rumor mill has churned out more conspiratorial explanations, like the assertion that Fox is really after the rights to certain Warner Bros. owned properties, namely the 1960’s Batman TV series, which Fox owns but can’t release on DVD, since Warner Bros. owns the character rights to Batman and all other DC Comics characters. Whether that particular explanation is true or not, most people agree that Fox is hoping to get some kind of scummy payday out of all this.
For now Warner Bros. is sticking to its claim that it has done no wrong, and as a show of conviction, they are still insisting that Watchmen will premiere in theaters on its previously slated release date of March 6, 2009. That puts only about six weeks between the start of the court proceedings and the release of the film!
In the meantime, what do you think about the lawsuit? Is January 20th going to be a day of high anxiety for you? (It will be for me: if Fox wins this lawsuit no telling what could happen to Watchmen.) Sound off and let us know where you stand.
Source: Variety
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7 Comments
yeah if fox messes around with the release of watchmen there will be repurcussions for fox. I WILL NOT WATCH ANYTHING FOX RELATED IF THAT HAPPENS. that includes skipping wolverine, not watching fox sports for baseball or even the super bowl. i swear i hope u stupid fox execs are reading this. u guys are officially the worst studio ever. period no questions asked. in the words of red foreman, your dumbassess!!!!
This is a little discouraging as I was hoping that the judge would make a decision one way or the other as to the fate of the movie..
FOX what can I say..this is a new low from a studio that has had many..I have already made the decision I will never buy another FOX owned property like DVD’s or anything else for that matter..Their greed and avarice knows no boundaries and I hope they pay the price finacially (that’s the only area where you can hit those guys where it actually hurts)..2008 has been a bad year for FOX already and they are trying to ensure that 2009 will be just as bad…They made approximately 900 million (from 23 films) so far this year and that is their lowest total since 2004..let’s face it, everybody who knows anything of the movie industry knows that FOX executives are parasites and will bleed a baby dry if it meant they could make a dollar from it…I do hope that some of those thick skulled, dim-witted inbred SOB’s read these posts and see the mess they have created for themselves..BOYCOTT FOX….We have the power to make our opinions clear so why not take every advantage and use this opportunity to send them a message that will be loud and clear!!
GO WATCHMEN !!
January 20th? Hmmm. The day we get a new Czar…I mean, President.
Let’s face it, guys. 2009 may be the year that begins the end (2012). We will get a new President with Socialist’s views and Fox will probably win their lawsuit and Watchmen is either killed or many scenes cut, making it crap.
Fox will become the anti-Christ and the world will be decimated in 2012.
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