WB, FOX WORKING ON WATCHMEN SETTLEMENT, PRODUCERS WEIGH IN
WB, FOX WORKING ON WATCHMEN SETTLEMENT, PRODUCERS WEIGH IN.
Warner Bros. and Fox are actively working toward a settlement over the
WATCHMEN distribution rights case, according to news reports.
The attorneys for both studios agreed Friday to delay a federal court
hearing until Monday so that settlement discussions can continue over
the weekend. U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess had been scheduled to
rule on WB’s request for an expedited hearing on the main issue: whether
to block WATCHMEN from theatrical release on March 6, as Fox is
requesting.
Feess agreed to the delay but said a trial over the matter is still set
for Jan. 20. Per the ASSOCIATED PRESS, Fox’s lawyer Lou Karasik told
Feess that the delay would be “very, very helpful” to settlement
discussions he classified as “productive.”
WB has invested about $150 million in the Zack Snyder-directed graphic
novel adaptation.
Feess ruled on December 24 that Fox does own the distribution rights to
the film and advised the studios to either reach a settlement or prepare
their appeals.
The original suit said that producer Lawrence Gordon’s option to acquire
Fox’s remaining interest in the novel written by Alan Moore and
illustrated by Dave Gibbons was never exercised, leaving Fox with its
rights under a 1994 turnaround agreement.
WB in turn has denied that Fox holds the copyright. Fox bought the
rights in the late 1980s, spending more than $1 million developing the
project before it went to Universal, then Paramount and later Warner
Bros. and Legendary Pictures, where it was made with Snyder.
Paramount is handling the international release, planning day-and-date
rollouts in many major markets.
Gordon and fellow producer Lloyd Levin weighed in this week. Per THE
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Gordon wrote a letter this week to Feess blaming Fox
and his then-lawyers for the situation and offering his version of
events. Levin also lashed out at Fox in an open letter posted on their website.
Feess refused to read the
letter from Gordon, citing it an “improper communication” and in
violation of court rules.
3. TOON BOOM ACQUIRES CAMBRIDGE ANIMATION.
Toon Boom Animation has closed a definitive agreement with Cambridge
Animation Systems, to acquire all of the Intellectual Property of
Cambridge and the Animo product line.
“Toon Boom caters to the needs of the animation community at large and
will continue to remain on the leading edge of technology, efficiency
and creative freedom. As a proponent of digital pipelines, media
convergence and 2D/3D integration, this acquisition is expected to
accelerate Toon Boom’s objective in delivering powerful animation
solutions,” said Joan Vogelesang, President and CEO at Toon Boom.
With Cambridge Animation Systems’ presence in Europe and Asia, Toon Boom
continues to strengthen its leading market position as the primary
technology partner for animation projects globally.
Toon Boom carries user-friendly animation applications for all and
develops new geographies to make the animation community as global as
can be. In that market segment, Toon Boom caters to the needs of
children, home users, creative professionals as well as students,
educators and schools.
As importantly, Toon Boom is fully dedicated to the needs of independent
animators and studios, offering a wide product range from powerful pre-
production tools to leading-edge animation production solutions.
