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Fox Contacted Warner Bros Before Watchmen Went Into Production

Posted on Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

One of the most often asked fan questions about Fox’s Watchmen lawsuit is: Why didn’t the studio file the lawsuit before principal photography began and before millions and millions of dollars had been spent. Fans believed that Fox waited to “blindside” Warner Bros with this copyright suit after it was too late. Not so.

According to Entertainment Weekly’s Fox source, “studio lawyers contacted Warner Bros. about the distribution rights issue several times prior to the start of production but were rebuffed.”  If this is the case, then Warner Bros is the only one to blame for this whole mess. On the other hand, WB clearly saw this whole thing coming, which I would assume means that their lawyers believe without a shadow of a doubt that they own the rights to the project. Then again, the judge’s ruling not to dismiss the case seems to prove that it isn’t an open and shut case.

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20th Century Fox, Comic Book/Superhero, Gossip/Controversy, Warner Brothers, 

  • lancelewis
    thats just great. well, im sure FOX will want a nice check scratched and a portion of the office take. im curious to see what happens.
  • Christopher Edwards
    I know that this has just came out, but i think this whole distrubtion problem has been either finished with or about to be finished if they are letting this slip.

    No one is stupid to let this out all those months ago, they would lose there job so quick.
  • For the record, I believe the film will still hit theaters, Fox might just be in for a very large paycheck and a percentage of profits.
  • Jappo
    People will still blame Fox for some reason, even though if they owned some of the rights to "Watchmen" they would do the exact same thing as Fox is doing.
  • OH BLAIR
    good, i hope this movie never gets released
  • OH BLAIR NO
    I hope you never get released!
  • I think the issue with Warner Bros. is the fact that they feel they own Watchmen and can do whatever they want with the property. Doesn't Warner Bros. own DC Comics? If that is the case, wouldn't that give them some right to stake claim on their own property?
  • The courts will not concede summary judgment when the party to be affected by such a ruling provides at least a scintilla of evidence that there is a controversy of fact that needs to be resolved. Courts prefer to err on the side of caution than to be called on not having provided a party with their day in court.

    We need more facts (i.e., discovery) in order to determine whether those alleged letters are authentic, whether plaintiff has an actual right to a claim, and so forth. If WB just shrugged them off and did not reply to the claims, well, let's just say that's not something I would have advised.
  • Clerks-Girl
    I find myself soo adgitated, because here we have a potentially amazing Graphic novel rendition-if not the best one done to date, and it may get it's credit taken away all because warner brothers couldn't get thier shit together to nip the legal pursuit from Fox by the getgo. I can't blame fox either I suppose, they just want a bit of honey for themselves, and if they can pull it off by a loop hole that they even overlooked at the beginning..well...should be a beautiful train wreck to watch
  • Clerks-Girl
    I find myself so agitated, because here we have a potentially amazing Graphic novel rendition-if not the best one done to date, and it may get it’s credit taken away all because warner brothers couldn’t get thier shit together to nip the legal pursuit from Fox by the getgo. I can’t blame fox either I suppose, they just want a bit of honey for themselves, and if they can pull it off by a loop hole that they even overlooked at the beginning..well…should be a beautiful train wreck to watch
  • BadWasabi
    With this whole mess, two things come to my mind:
    - Someone is getting fired
    - Kevin Smith is now even more lucky for having seen it, as it now may not get released!
  • Both studios would be idiots not to release this movie...so...it's going to happen.

    Whether Fox releases is or WB releases it....there's money to be made.

    However, if they choose not to release this movie at all....I will cry my eyes out like a little bitch.
  • I've taken a look at some of the legal docs on this trial http://uncivilsociety.org/watchmen_leichter.pdf ... OK, so I only read Exhibit A, LOL ... but it does definitely seem like the producer who gave WB the movie made a huge mistake (and WB made it worse). I don't know how this will affect the movie's release, but when all is said and done, either Fox will be royally ripped off, or WB will be royally reamed.
  • Rachel Summers
    oh lord baby jesus let this movie happen!
  • Bryan
    This is amazing. I hope they can prevent it from being released.
  • Watanabex
    fuck i hope this makes it to theaters if not please if you work at WB make a copy of it then leak it online it will be the most epic win of the internet
  • Adam B.
    and this is why you don't trash talk Fox without knowing anything about the situation.
    so many people automatically blame Fox on the last post relating to this.
  • mudywaters
    "Shadow of a doubt" is actually not a legal term. It's reasonable doubt. "Shadow of a doubt" is made up for TV and film. Just thought I would be that guy.
  • BFFredo
    It's coming out. The only question is how much of WB's profits will Fox take.
  • Christopher Marc
    I'm just glad it's coming out...I could careless how the profits are handed out...
  • Guest
  • gocitizen
    ...and to think that 10- 15 years ago, nobody would probably even know there was a lawsuit. Does it really matter who gets the profits?


    It would be the ultimate hoax for a studio to film a trailer for something and then tell everyone that the movie had to be destroyed. I'm not sure why they would do that. Maybe the studio could just be bored one year?
  • Masoch BaronVon
    It's all part of Adrian's secret plan.
  • Brody
    So anyways, the next Batman movie is gonna rule.
  • El Raptor
    To be honest I don't know how Fox got the rights to make the movie in the late 80s seeing how Warner Bros. owned DC Comics since 1969. So unless there is something preventing Warner Bros. from monopolizing the DC Comic movie business I see why they didn't have the rights to the movie adaption in the first place. And can anyone name one DC Comic movie after 1969 that wasn't distributed by Warner Bros?
  • AJ
    HOPEFULLY WB will have to pay fox some stuff or something and they'll be so mad that they'll let Zak Snyder cut it whatever way he wants to because they think it'll make less money, just to spite fox.
  • Daniel
    Hate to say: I told you so.
  • charles
    shit
  • Since I have a legal background but work in comics, I've posted an in-depth analysis of this ruling, but written for laymen types rather than people who spent a couple dozen grand on law school.

    Tinyurl: http://tinyurl.com/56klq8

    El Raptor--DC Comics DID have the rights to Watchmen--but they got sold off at some point, thus starting its pinball ride through Hollywood before Time Warner thought it had collected them all again. Now, Fox is saying: Not so fast, you forgot about this piece...
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