So a while back the heirs to half of the Superman Estate, sued both DC Comics and Warner Brothers because they felt they didn’t get their fair share of the money trucks that the Last Son of Krypton brings them.
But they lost. The judge decided that while they have the rights to a share of income from the DC properties, the film rights were sold at a fair value to the parent company, and they already received their agreed share of that amount. They got a slice of any profit DC makes off the character, not WB (despite WB owning DC, it is a separate company/subsidiary) However, a side effect of the trail might actually be in a decision that could force them to move on a new Superman film.
Warner Bros. head Alan Horn testified at the trial about the future of the SUPERMAN franchise at the studio saying that while they “hoped” to make another film, “the property wasn’t under development” and “no script had been written.” Perhaps even more interesting was the court’s ruling that if Warner Bros. did not begin production on a new SUPERMAN movie by 2011, “the Siegels will be able to sue to recover their damages.”
I’m no lawyer, and this might have something to do with that guy who smashed my car who didn’t have insurance that the judge determined would be my butler.
Apparently the rights revert to the Siegels in 2013 and nothing with Supes in it can be made without licensing it directly from the Siegel and Shuster estates (so I expect a new contract before then to ensure DC/WB retains the rights) but all I got out of all that was that the LAW is going to make sure we get a Superman movie soon!!
Brandon Routh’s contract to play Superman expired because a sequel to Superman Returns (or the proposed reboot that potentially could have starred him anyways) never happened in the time frame.
Routh proved that the task of replacing Reeve’s Superman was doable (even if unlikely) but I fear that lightning couldnt strike that lucky twice, but thankfully Routh has said that even though he is not officially the Blue Boyscout on paper, if they call he would be more than eager.
I vote Routh, and I vote Reboot (or hire me to write the sequel as my idea is awesome)
