Warner Bros. and DC Comics Win Superman Case

News

Warner Bros. and DC Comics Win Superman Case

Source:Variety

July 8, 2009

Variety reports that Warner Bros. and DC Comics have won a favorable ruling in the suit filed by the heirs of "Superman" co-creator Jerome Siegel. Here are some excerpts from the ruling:

In a decision announced Wednesday, U.S. Judge District Court Judge Stephen G. Larson found that the license fees the studio paid to corporate sibling DC Comics didn't represent "sweetheart" deals as they weren't below fair market value. That means the heirs will be able seek profits only from DC Comics -- which earned $13.6 million from Warner Bros. for the 2006 release of "Superman Returns" -- rather than from Warner Bros. as well.

The judge, who conducted a 10-day bench trial, also noted that Warner Bros. chairman Alan Horn had testified that he hopes to make another "Superman" movie but added that the property wasn't under development at the studio, that no script had been written and that the earliest another "Superman" pic could be released would be in 2012.

Toberoff also asserted in a written statement that the Siegel heirs and the heirs of co-creator Joe Shuster will own the entire Superman copyright in 2013.

"The Court pointedly ruled that if Warner Bros. does not start production on another Superman film by 2011, the Siegels will be able to sue to recover their damages," Toberoff added.

You can read the full article here.

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Posted by: j on July 9, 2009 at 00:40:47

i hope they make a new film now.

Posted by: Jon on July 9, 2009 at 00:41:27

get crackin and bring on zod

Posted by: Jon on July 9, 2009 at 00:43:27

and keep routh and spacey

Posted by: Fanboiii on July 9, 2009 at 00:45:41

Good news in disguise? C'mon WB. Get started on the next Superman!!!

Posted by: william shatner on July 9, 2009 at 00:49:28

siegal and shusters heirs will own the ENTIRE superman copyright in 2013, WOW talk about a cash cow. I wonder if they could move superman form DC to marvel?? I'm a big superman DC fan so i hope this is good for all involved parties.

Posted by: Fanboiii on July 9, 2009 at 00:51:31

The heirs are such greedy moochers. They will be the real death of Superman

Posted by: kykestink on July 9, 2009 at 00:52:58

How come WB has to make a movie if they're going to own the rights in 2013 anyway?

Posted by: mwhite13 on July 9, 2009 at 00:58:18

BRING ON A GOOD SUPERMAN...TRUE TO COMICS. forget routh. start from scratch. GET ON IT WARNER BROS

Posted by: cheesehead3 on July 9, 2009 at 01:04:29

NIIIICE. Hope they make a movie that shows what he can do. Take the time to write a good script. He's too big of a hero to get crap movies. If you can do it for batman, you can do it here. Sick of other superheros who have great movies.

Posted by: Me-Man on July 9, 2009 at 01:07:55

Hopefully Superman gets done right this time. I wish either James Cameron or Ridley Scott directs it.

Posted by: Nick on July 9, 2009 at 01:09:21

I have seen the death of Superman, it's name is BRYAN SINGER!!

Seriously, Superman Returns was like watching a superhero by way of the Hallmark Channel. "WAH WAH WAH, SOMETHING COOL, WAHAWAHWWAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAH!" It starts off fine, then it peaks early and you're left watching the Man of Steel mope for the last hour.

Brandon Routh was good as Supes, but it was more because he was a near physical clone of Christopher Reeves, thus softening the blow if he didn't live up to the cape.

I'm all for dramatic character arcs, but when your lead character is Humanoid Alien who gains near godlike strength and Invulnerability when exposed to our sun, it would be nice if he could actually use against someone!!! Superman waxing poetic about being the world's savior, meh..... Super having full out brawl with a supervillian in the heart of Metropolis... EFFIN AWESOME!!!

BRING ON THE BAD GUYS!!!!

Posted by: MyCoolectibles on July 9, 2009 at 01:10:51

If you've read anything at all about the creators of Superman, they died broke because DC screwed them so bad. I think it's only fair that their heirs get something in return for creating the most important superhero of all time.

Posted by: Madcap on July 9, 2009 at 01:11:27

The court says they HAVE to by 2011? Get ready for a crap rushjob for the next one then.

Posted by: Bogan555 on July 9, 2009 at 01:13:50

Have the Villan have a kaiju as a minion, like Godzilla or Mothra, make it a Godzilla cross over !!!

Posted by: Britt Reid on July 9, 2009 at 01:15:08

I hope the heirs recieve what they deserve, in the beginning the comic artists didn't own their creations, they fought to get it back and now it'll be payback time in every sense of the word. They'll continue to sell the rights so that good products are hopefully released.

Posted by: Chris on July 9, 2009 at 01:23:09

The creators were screwed over but their heirs don't have any right to Superman.This means now Warner brothers will have to get off their asses and decide what to do with Superman or they will kiss Superman goodbye.Let's hope Brandon routh returns as Superman.Lois Is recast and Brianic finally gets done In a film.

Posted by: DC Comics Suck on July 9, 2009 at 01:23:48

DC Comics shoul be burn to the ground. they suck. get over it. batman? gah. superman? are u friggin kidding? superhero in tights with a big S on his chest... so pathetic.. ur all gah.

Posted by: Gylan Thomas on July 9, 2009 at 01:26:25

I'm all for the hiers gettin' a slice of th pie even if it flat out wasn't part of the deal that was made way back in the day. Seigal and Shuster sold there character to DC. DC didn't steal it. It's just flat out luck that Superman was a success over all the other character that were being produced at the time.
However, if I understand that article the superman character as we know it will be lost as of 2013. Has any one stopped to think what the shusters will do with if they own the copyright? Will DC still care about the character if he essentailly isn't there's? Do the hiers have any idea what to do with him when DC barely seems to be able to create consitantly good stories them selfs?
If the hiers own the character he'll quickly be nothing more than a memory.

Posted by: Tone Sharp on July 9, 2009 at 01:27:35

The family deserves more money. DC totally screwed Siegel.

Posted by: Roffstafarian on July 9, 2009 at 01:32:12

RED SON! RED SON! RED SON!

Posted by: marvelfansrbiotches on July 9, 2009 at 01:40:00

Great.... now lets get on with the movie!!

Posted by: Timstuff on July 9, 2009 at 01:43:57

Awesome, everyone wins! Now Warner Bros. HAS to make a new Superman film, or else!

Posted by: Ssj2johnny on July 9, 2009 at 01:44:32

The casting of superman returns was awful! Win the exception of Routhe, jackpot. Spacey, Penn, and especially Bosworth were terrible choices! Who In the world has ever though Kate Bosworth would ever be talented or hot enough to play a lead role? She didn't even look the part. Penn looked retarded, you know what I mean. Total casting vomit. And Singer is a flash in the pan director! They should have some common sense and put out a good product instead of burning the fans with pieces of crap. Get the right director for the tone of the movie. Like with the Harry Potter franchise, they have a different director the past 5 films and each one has left a dramatic mark on each indvidual film, each film has improved and none of the followers of the books have complained. Spiderman had it but the studio interfered with the third film and people were upset. Why can't people learn from their and others mistakes. Follow the blueprints of successful and citically acclaimed films and maybe we won't come online and complain!

Everybody that wants real villians is dead on. Bring on Darkseid or Doomsday ( which could even be split into 2 movies with a cliffhanger ending joining the films)! Anybody with me?

Posted by: M. Bison on July 9, 2009 at 01:45:57

This, is great news Warner Brothers and DC Comics winning the case for Superman's filming rights with Legendary Pictures too. Now, they can write the script and begin filming between 2009 this year and have a trailer going sometime in 2010 early spring or summer would be nice. Superman Returns's trailer was shown with Batman Begins in the early spring or summer of 2005 when Batman Begins was released in that year. I want to have Brainiac and Metallo appear in the first film. General Zod would be nice have him come in later. Superman's other villains haven't been shown yet so let's be fair to them. Batman can show up later if WB/DC and Legendary Pictures want to bring him in for the Justice League Of America film spinoff. Marvel will tie-in Ironman's film series into "The Avengers" movie. I am not surprised, because Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury will appear in the Ironman sequels starting next year in 2010. As, for Superman guys at DC call JJ. Abrams, Tim Burton, James Cameron or Ridley Scott to direct Superman: Man Of Steel and hire Geoff Johns and James Vanderbilt if he is available to write while also writing the script for Spiderman 4. Does James like Superman as much, as he does Spiderman they both represent freedom and hope against injustice. Anyway, Sam Raimi said, years back when he finished Spiderman in 2002 Superman was his favorite comic book character of all time. Later, an individual came to him and told him about Spiderman and he was hooked on the Wall Crawler and now Spiderman is his favorite and Superman The Man Of Steel is his second favorite that's okay with me.

Posted by: Ssj2johnny on July 9, 2009 at 01:47:34

I just wanted to add that Bosworth sucks.

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