Superman copyright lawsuit could delay release of new Warner Bros. film
The ongoing legal battle over the rights to Superman continues to escalate as the estate of Joseph Shuster, one of the superhero’s co-creators, files a copyright lawsuit against Warner Bros. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York City, alleges that Warner has unlawfully failed to pay royalties for the use of Superman in various countries outside the United States, including Britain, Canada, and Australia.
Joseph Shuster, along with writer Jerome Siegel, created Superman and licensed their rights to Detective Comics, the predecessor of DC Comics, which is now owned by Warner Bros. According to British law, Shuster’s rights to the character reverted back to his estate in 2017, 25 years after his death. The estate claims that Warner’s distribution of Superman-related works since 2017 infringes on their copyright in jurisdictions based on British law.
This legal dispute is just the latest chapter in a long-standing feud between the creators’ estates and Warner over the rights to Superman. Previous court rulings in the United States have favored Warner, but the new lawsuit is invoking British law to challenge the distribution of Superman-related content internationally.
The timing of this lawsuit is particularly significant, as Warner is gearing up for the release of a new Superman movie as part of a planned reboot of the DC Comics superhero film franchise. Directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, the film is set to hit theaters in July. However, the litigation could potentially complicate the international distribution of the movie.
The estate of Joseph Shuster is seeking monetary damages and a court order to prevent Warner from depicting Superman without a proper license. In response, a spokesperson for Warner stated that they fundamentally disagree with the lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend their rights.
Marc Toberoff, the attorney representing Shuster’s estate, emphasized that the lawsuit is not intended to prevent fans from enjoying the new Superman movie but rather to ensure that Shuster receives fair compensation for his contributions as the co-creator of the iconic superhero. Shuster and Siegel began creating Superman comic strips in 1934, with Detective Comics publishing their first comic in 1938.
As the legal battle rages on, it remains to be seen how this latest lawsuit will impact the future of the Superman franchise and the broader landscape of intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry.
