Warner Bros. / DC Comics will keep the Superman copyright!

[Clark Kent]

It has taken years of litigation, but Warner Bros. has won a massive victory in keeping the rights to Superman.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr...g-court-379770

Lex Luthor's henchman, lawyer Marc Toberoff, has declined to comment on the decision in court today.

[EmperorClobbersaurus]

"The decision by U.S. District Court Judge Otis D. Wright"...

....suspicious....

[TylerDurden]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

It has taken years of litigation, but Warner Bros. has won a massive victory in keeping the rights to Superman.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr...g-court-379770

Lex Luthor's henchman, lawyer Marc Toberoff, has declined to comment on the decision in court today.

So now they can take their time and create a film without rushing to meet a deadline.

[Elandyll]

Doesn't solve all that much, given that the ones who are still entitled and won the 2008 lawsuit are the Siegels, and their court ruling is still pending.

[Trekkie313]

Warner Bros. buying out all of DC was wrong to begin with, that's why every other superhero besides Batman or Supes sucks on the big-screen.

[kemcha]

Actually, that just the current ruling until the Shuster family appeals. Additionally, this court's opinion doesn't affect what has come before with the Siegel family outcome with their case. Warner Brothers/D.C. Comics would need to file an appeal and attempt to get a new judgment. There's all likelihood that the Appeals court could refuse Warner Brothers.

While appeals are granted to companies and corporations all of the time, an appeals court won't hear an appeal just because another court found in favor of the Siegel family. Warner Brothers would need a reason to appeal. That's like going to court and winning a $10,000 lawsuit against a company for whatever your lawsuit was about and then you discover that somebody else filed a similar lawsuit and they lost and that company wanting to take you back to court to get your lawsuit set aside.

It doesn't happen that way. Warner Brothers is going to have to have grounds for an appeal without just having the cause based on this recent decision. The fight simply isn't over yet and this could take a few more years to settle anyway. I think Warner Brothers and D.C. Comics should just settle with both of these families and end this circus before it gets too much further. Because this is turning into a big PR disaster for both companies (Warner Brothers and D.C. Comics).

[Clark Kent]

This decision very likely secures half the copyright to Superman for Warner Bros., which means nothing can be done with the character without their permission going forward. It greatly weakens the other court decision for the other estate and strongly enhances WB's negotiating position down the road.

The embarrassment was this lawyer trying to exploit a loophole in the copyright law for an easy payday.