Superman: Warner Bros. and DC Comics lose rights to character's early depictions

Categories: News

A California judge issued a ruling on Wednesday awarding rights to various aspects of the Superman mythology to the family of the character’s co-creator, Jerry Siegel, reports Variety. Because Siegel conceived and published key elements of the character before DC Comics bought the franchise, the Siegel family has sued Warner Bros. and DC for copyright infringement. After today’s ruling, the family now control the rights to Superman’s origins, the planet Krypton, his parents, Superman as an infant, and his fiery crash into Earth. A previous court order last year awarded the family copywright ownership of Lois Lane, The Daily Planet, and alter-ego Clark Kent. Now the studio is left to sort out how much it owes the Siegels for profits they’ve collected from the character since 1999. And since full ownership of the Man of Steel reverts to the Siegels in 2013, the studio will be forced to go into production on any further Superman or Justice League movies before 2011.

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Comments (1-9) of 9 Add your comment

Tarc
Thu 08/13/09 8:56 PM

Hopefully the Seigel family will force moviemakes to make a GOOD Superman movie.

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aynsley
Thu 08/13/09 9:03 PM

i think you mean lose, not loose

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- Val
  Thu 08/13/09 9:37 PM
  
  ha ha – “loose” rights. It helps to proof read.
  
  Reply
Keith
Thu 08/13/09 9:57 PM

First, Christine Spines screws up the plot of Mildred Pierce in another story of hers tonight, then she mistakes “loose” for “lose”. This gal’s a real winner.

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darrin
Thu 08/13/09 11:28 PM

so is this good or bad for smallville storylines?

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- Smallville
  Sat 08/15/09 1:40 PM
  
  I’m not sure. I’ve heard rumors that this upcoming season will be the last. Of course, they’ve been saying that for the past two years now.
  
  Reply
c jones
Thu 08/13/09 11:55 PM

supes isn’t the JLA. they did quite well without him in the comics for many years. But if DC owns superBOY, they could go with that and have a new superboy version like the clone they have. Or maybe retrofit mon-el as a new superman via magic or orange kryptonite.

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Dave
Fri 08/14/09 12:36 AM

I would say the family owes the studio a boat load of money to make up for the losses caused by the Singer Superman movie. Man did that suck. I mean sheets thru da sphincter suck!

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Cookie
Fri 08/14/09 3:00 AM

Holy crap! I hope the comics are granted mercy since the Siegals wouldn’t even be granted money if it weren’t for the comics.

As for any movie adaptations, go ahead and take Warner Bros.’ money. They’ll live.

Reply

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