Yesterday we posted a first look at the Shrek 3 or Shrek the Third teaser poster. Today we received an email from the Dreamworks legal team ordering us to remove the poster.

I thought to myself, this is very strange. I left a message on the lawyer's voice mail and began to do some research. I'm not the only person who has the poster in question on their website, I found somewhere between 15 to 20 other sites with the poster in question. Heck, a simple google news search will bring back a bunch of them.

And what's the problem? Why send a legal attack dog out on a leaked poster? I mean, Transformers pictures I can understand but this poster does nothing to hurt them. Actually I'm pretty sure most of the world doesn't care about the poster. I know our hits didn't spike because of the posting.

Dennis L. Wilson told me that he is e-mailing all of the sites, requesting the image to be removed.

What exactly is the big deal? I just don't understand?

Anyways, for your entertainment, the letter from Dreamworks is pasted below, enjoy:

This letter is being written to you on behalf of DreamWorks SKG (hereinafter "DreamWorks"). DreamWorks is the owner of rights in and to the yet to be released "Shrek the Third" motion picture. No one is authorized to copy, reproduce, distribute, or otherwise use the "Shrek the Third" motion picture or related materials without the express written permission of DreamWorks.

DreamWorks has recently learned that you are reproducing, distributing and providing an unauthorized image of the unreleased promotional poster from the "Shrek the Third" motion picture, on your web site located at http://www.slashfilm.com/article.php/20060926shrek3-poster. You are hereby put on notice that the reproduction, transmission and/or distribution by you of this unauthorized "Shrek the Third" promotional image constitute copyright infringement.

DreamWorks hereby demands that you and all those who have acted in concert with you immediately cease any unauthorized copying, transmission, distribution and/or other utilization of any of its protected intellectual property, including any use of the "Shrek the Third" motion promotional images, or any related content.

We demand that you immediately provide us with written confirmation that you have complied with DreamWorks’ demands. Should you not do so, DreamWorks expressly reserves all of its rights to file a lawsuit against you to obtain damages for all past acts of infringement and an injunction to prevent any future infringement.

This letter is not a complete statement of DreamWorks’ rights in connection with this matter, and nothing contained herein constitutes an express or implied waiver of any rights, remedies, or defenses of DreamWorks in connection with this matter, all of which are expressly reserved.