Time for the latest update in the 20th Century Fox/Warner Brothers battle over the distribution rights to Warner’s Watchmen, slated to hit theaters this March if all goes well.Fox, in a surprise ruling, won the distribution rights to Watchmen because they originally owned the rights (decades ago) and decided not to do anything with them, and not to say anything, until Warner Bros’ incarnation made big buzz as a trailer ahead of The Dark Knight. Then, after much internet bitching, it became apparent that Warner Bros is going to fight this, though they most likely will end up paying out a settlement to Fox to see their movie released and not piss off the international fan base (knowing studios, this is the last thing they are thinking about).
Fox’s way of fighting the release was to seek and injunction against the film, and both parties went to Judge Gary A. Feess, who will decide whether to issue an injunction against the Watchmen. We initially thought we wouldn’t hear a verdict until January 20th, but Warner’s is not letting the process cool its afterburners…
THR reports:
Warners is asking that the hearing be moved up to as early as Monday because “time is critical,” the studio argues in papers filed this week. “Watchmen” is scheduled for a March 6 bow, and Warners must soon commit to tens of millions of dollars in marketing for a film it isn’t sure it can release.
The injunction fight stems from Feess’ Christmas Eve preliminary ruling that Fox has a right to distribute the Zack Snyder adaptation of the popular graphic novel. Feess found that producer Lawrence Gordon failed to acquire Fox’s entire interest in “Watchmen,” thereby leaving Fox with rights under a 1994 turnaround agreement.
The studios are now battling over the key issue of whether that decision allows Fox to stop the film’s release or whether the parties should proceed to a trial over money damages.
The question on everyone’s mind is: Is 20th Century Fox really stupid enough to stop the Watchmen film from hitting theaters?
We hope not, and in the end this is all about getting something for nothing, so as long as the money is right, we’ll see Watchmen.
What we’re really fighting over now is how much money Warners is going to get gouged for, and if that price will leave any Watchmen earnings left over for them.
