A jury trial has finally been set in the ongoing battle for the U.S. Copyright of Predator between the original creators Jim & John Thomas and 20th Century Studios. And for anyone who hoped this would be resolved quickly in the courts is unfortunately due for a rude awakening and a very long wait.
Alien vs. Predator Galaxy has learned that the honorable George H. Wu, United States Central District of California Judge, has set the Jury Trial for the legal battle over Predator to begin on the 19th of April, 2022.
For anyone unfamiliar with the case, original writers Jim and John Thomas filed a lawsuit this past April against 20th Century Studios to reclaim the U.S. rights to their “Hunters” screenplay which became the basis for the 1987 film “Predator”. The Thomas Brothers were seeking to reclaim these rights under the U.S. copyright law termination provision, which permits creators to regain ownership of properties they have created after 35 years (as long as it wasn’t a work-for-hire.)
The dispute between 20th Century Studios and the Thomas Brothers has never been about the Brothers’ right to reclaim the U.S. Copyright to Hunters (at least for now), but rather when the Brothers are entitled to it. Jim and John Thomas believe they should have reclaimed the rights already this year, but 20th Century Studios and Disney (due to some errors made including in two legal termination notices) doesn’t believe the rights should revert to the Brothers until 2023 – hence the lawsuit.
Predator fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the honorable Judge Wu has not issued any orders for a Preliminary Injunction which would stop all new Predator creative works from continuing until this jury trial was concluded, so it would seem that projects like the Dan Trachtenberg directed Predator film “Skulls” will safely continue and complete production uninterrupted.
Now leading up to this April 19th 2022 jury trial, legal representation for both parties will be keeping busy in preparation with court scheduled benchmarks to meet including Amended Pleadings by 7/23/2021, a Status Conference set for 12/20/2021, Discovery cut-off by 1/4/2022, motions due by 3/7/2022, and a Final Pre-trial Conference set for 4/7/2022.
And with a last date to conduct a settlement conference set for 12/16/2021, it’s still feasibly possible that both the Thomas Brothers and 20th Century Studios can come to an agreement and settle this case prior to it ever going to trial.
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Oh that would have been grand. Alas so many great projects abandoned.
Predator is so versatile, I think it can even fit in the Marvel comic superhero universe permanently.
https://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2020/07/Predator-1.jpg
Oh I'd love a Predator or AVP Anime! There is so much that can be done in that form of animation at a low budget cost. Disney is already doing this with Star Wars Visions (Anime).
Though Disney could always use them for the comics or games and especially the games since Predator adapts fairly well to videogames. It doesn't need to just be the movies. You also possess crossover potential with any one franchise they own and AVP is still fairly popular given that's how a lot of modern fans are introduced to the character. It doesn't have to be strictly movies and could even go an animated route. Plenty of options Disney has than to just do superheroes.
As usual great wisdom in your words Voodoo.
My concern is Disney will not be interested in continuing the Predator franchise, its last films were not the kind of successes Disney wants, they usually want 1 Billion grossing films now, and a R rated film can't crack that number.
'Walking Dead' Lawsuit Settled For $200M Between Frank Darabont, CAA & AMC
https://twitter.com/DrewStruzan/status/1416204836081594371
Also a lawsuit like this can create bad blood on both sides, and when that's your launching pad, all it takes is Disney saying the Thomas Brothers want too much money and control, the Brothers saying Disney is low-balling, and then I can 100% see Disney playing hardball, stop negotiating and just putting the franchise on ice for a few years. No doomsday scenarios here, just being a realist, especially looking at how Disney has handled other situations like icing out X-Men from Marvel pre acquisition, or the Islands of Adventure debacle. There doesn't seem to be a concern over halting content for fans, if the wait-it-out approach brings the desired result.
I remember reading that Fox's explanation why they canceled the series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" after two seasons while other shows with similar cost & similar ratings survived was because Fox didn't fully own the show. So unless the Thomas Brothers sell Hunter all back to Disney for a one time sum, I think Predator will also be dealing with these type of obstacles.
So with all of this, I rather be prepared for what possibly may come, than not prepared.
https://y.yarn.co/61191c82-5b10-424b-bd3c-121c560ff1bd_text.gif
I'm refraining from leaping to doomsday scenarios until I see a good reason to. Torpedoing the franchise doesn't benefit the Brothers in the least.
But the most likely outcome is if they get the rights back they just renegotiate a better deal and we all move on with our lives.
I don't see any benefit in Disney/20th Century Studios settling. The Thomas Brothers will have to ultimately work with Disney anyway when all is said and done because the Brothers will be reclaiming only the US copyright, not foreign rights, and only to the Hunters script, not 100% all things Predator.
The benefit for Disney/20th Century Studios to not settle is if they win the lawsuit and own Predator fully until 2023, they'll own yet another Predator film in their library outright (Skulls), free and clear, and continue to reap the financial benefits fully for decades, or centuries to come without having to share with the Brothers.
My ultimate fear is when the Brothers do reclaim those Hunters rights back, will Disney/20th Century Studios opt to stop making Predator films. This franchise isn't Star Wars. The profits aren't incredibly lucrative. And when you have to share them, it becomes that much less lucrative. The juice might not be worth the squeeze at that point. Disney may be content with 5 revenue earning Predator films in their 20th Century Studios library plus 2 AvPs and call it a day. That's my fear.
I'm sure Disney will win this trial.
And the fact that 20th Century Studios doesn't have Skulls on some theatrical release schedule indicates to me what Toberoff said about Skulls being distributed by Hulu might indeed be its reality. We already knew that when Disney went through Emma Watts' Fox Film slate they reportedly streamlined them to 10 releases per year, half or more going to Hulu or Disney+. So if that means Skulls, it would be that much easier if your post-production schedule is leading to a streaming release to fit within a tighter window.
The film should be fully finished by the end of the year (unless they need to do reshoots). There's a chance we could see it early 2022.
Does this mean that even a 100% completed Skulls movie might never get released?
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/2021/07/09/jury-trial-in-the-legal-battle-over-predator-set-for-april-19th-2022/