Superman creator Joseph Schuster’s estate is reportedly suing Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics over the release of James Gunn‘s upcoming movie starring David Corenswet.
According to Deadline, the lawsuit claims that DC Studios does not have the proper rights to release the new film in selected “key territories” such as England, Canada, Ireland and Australia.
If the lawsuit isn’t settled before the scheduled release date of July 11, it is possible the movie’s release could be delayed in the aforementioned territories. However, Warner Bros. has insisted that there is no merit to the claim made by Schuster’s estate.
In a statement, a Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson said: “We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit, and will vigorously defend our rights.”
Though Schuster and fellow Superman co-creator Jerome “Jerry” Siegel signed over worldwide rights to the character to DC Comics in 1938, the lawsuit claims international copyright law stipulates that “such assignments are automatically terminated 25 years after an author’s death”.
“Shuster died in 1992 and Siegel in 1996. By operation of law, Shuster’s foreign copyrights automatically reverted to his estate in 2017 in most of these territories (and in 2021 in Canada). Yet Defendants continue to exploit Superman across these jurisdictions without the Shuster Estate’s authorization—including in motion pictures, television series, and merchandise—in direct contravention of these countries’ copyright laws, which require the consent of all joint copyright owners to do so,” the lawsuit states.
It begins July 11th. #Superman pic.twitter.com/ey5Bwhnt6D
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 26, 2025
Superman, starring Corenswet as the titular superhero, will mark the start of Gunn’s new-look DC Universe. The upcoming film also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Earlier this week, Gunn defended the film’s latest teaser trailer after fans voiced their concerns about the CGI.
After a new trailer aired on Sunday (January 26), showing Superman flying through frozen tundra, fans suggested that computer-generated imagery had been used to alter Corenswet’s face.
While some fans were unhappy, another took to Threads to express that the teaser “looks dope” with a “great camera angle of Superman flying,” – but added: “Except there’s something in his face that looks a little off. I know there’s plenty of time to refine the CG.”
Gunn replied: “There is absolutely zero CG in his face. People’s faces can look different when you put a wide-angle lens up close. The background plate in Svalbard is 100% real as is David.”
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