Warner Bros. Discovery is facing a lawsuit over the rights to Superman, with the estate of co-creator Joseph Shuster alleging that the studio lost its international rights to the character and story years ago. The lawsuit seeks to block the release of the studio’s upcoming Superman film in several countries ahead of its July debut.
The complaint, filed in New York federal court, claims that WBD continued to exploit the character without permission or compensation. The estate is seeking a share of profits from works such as Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Black Adam, and Shazam! in key countries like Canada, the U.K., and Australia.
In response, Warner Bros. Discovery stated that they fundamentally disagree with the lawsuit and will vigorously defend their rights.
The lawsuit poses a potential challenge to WBD’s rollout of Superman, set to be released on July 11 as the character’s first solo movie in over a decade. The film is a cornerstone property for DC Studios and is intended to kick off a slate of projects planned by studio co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The ownership of Superman dates back to 1938 when the rights were sold for $130. Over the years, there have been various legal battles over the character’s rights, with the most recent involving Shuster’s estate seeking to reclaim the rights under U.K. copyright law.
The lawsuit alleges copyright infringement in several countries and seeks a court order to prevent further exploitation of the character’s international rights. The estate is represented by copyright termination lawyer Marc Toberoff.
Overall, the legal action against Warner Bros. Discovery adds a new dimension to the ongoing saga of the rights to Superman and will likely impact the studio’s plans for the iconic character in the future.