Superman DCU Movie Sued by Creator’s Estate Over Distribution Rights in Key Territories

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The estate of Superman co-creator Joseph Schuster is suing Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics.

The upcoming DCU superhero film starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, titled Superman, will be released in U.S. theaters this July under the direction of James Gunn.

On January 31, 2025, Mark Warren Peary, acting as Schuster’s estate executor, filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by the specified deadline.

Why is the Superman creator’s estate suing Warner Bros. over the DCU movie?

As a passionate supporter, I’m eagerly awaiting the outcome of this lawsuit. It aims to secure compensation for continuous copyright violations happening in Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Australia, while also asserting our ownership rights in these regions, and further clarifying them across all relevant jurisdictions.

In simpler terms, this statement implies that Schuster’s estate is arguing that the upcoming DCU summer blockbuster does not have the necessary permissions to distribute the film in several crucial regions.

In reaction to the lawsuit, a representative from Warner Bros. Discovery stated that they strongly oppose the basis of the lawsuit and are prepared to fiercely protect their legal rights.

The article by Deadline clarifies that there’s a dispute over foreign copyrights to the original Superman character and story, which were jointly created by Jerome Siegel and Shuster. The lawsuit states that although Siegel and Shuster sold worldwide Superman rights to DC’s predecessor for just $130 in 1938 ($65 each), the laws of countries with British legal tradition (like Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Australia) have a rule that automatically terminates such assignments 25 years after an author’s death. This means that the Shuster Estate now has full copyright ownership over Siegel’s share in these countries.

The legal case states that Shuster passed away in 1992 and Siegel in 1996. In many territories, Shuster’s foreign copyrights were transferred to his estate in 2017 (and in Canada in 2021). However, the Defendants persistently use Superman across these regions without obtaining authorization from the Shuster Estate, a violation of copyright laws in these countries. These laws mandate that all joint copyright owners must provide consent to utilize the work.

Originally reported by Brandon Schreur on SuperHeroHype.

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2025-01-31 22:10