Jim and John Thomas suing Disney to reclaim Predator rights

Started by Kailem, Apr 16, 2021, 12:46:54 AM

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Jim and John Thomas suing Disney to reclaim Predator rights (Read 91,160 times)

Voodoo Magic


goose_3387

Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Jul 09, 2021, 06:06:53 PM
Jury Trial in the Legal Battle over Predator set for April 19th 2022
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/2021/07/09/jury-trial-in-the-legal-battle-over-predator-set-for-april-19th-2022/

Does this mean that even a 100% completed Skulls movie might never get released?

SiL

A 100% completed film would be rushed out to release if they thought there was a chance they might lose, as they can continue to exploit existing derivative works.

goose_3387

Quote from: SiL on Jul 10, 2021, 12:16:34 PM
A 100% completed film would be rushed out to release if they thought there was a chance they might lose, as they can continue to exploit existing derivative works.

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.

Voodoo Magic

With principal photography slated to end August 20th, even a December 2021 release isnt beyond the realms of possibility. I'd doubt they'd slate it for the Holidays though.  :)

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.

El Pistolero

Maybe if they loose, they will change the Predator Movie to a Riverghost Movie ad release it anyway. I hope Van Damme is on board this time.

I'm sure Disney will win this trial.

SuperiorIronman

They're gonna settle. Disney isn't going to let Predator slip away so come settlement date they'll work out a way to license Predator from them and Disney just starts back up as normal. Skulls gets released, Hunting Grounds dies a merciless death under shovelware, and the comic releases either as a OGN or goes monthly without incident.

Voodoo Magic

Voodoo Magic

#487
Quote from: SuperiorIronman on Jul 11, 2021, 07:15:38 PM
They're gonna settle. Disney isn't going to let Predator slip away so come settlement date they'll work out a way to license Predator from them and Disney just starts back up as normal. Skulls gets released, Hunting Grounds dies a merciless death under shovelware, and the comic releases either as a OGN or goes monthly without incident.

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. :-\

BigDaddyJohn

Well I hope this won't affect the info we can get about Skulls in the meantime, because for now it's been dry as f**k.

XENOMORPHOSIS

Hypothetically if the rights return to the Thomas Brothers could that mean there will be no more Aliens vs Predator content for an indefinite time? sort of a situation where Toho couldn't regain rights to use Kong in the 90's so they scrapped their planed remake of King Kong vs Godzilla, had to wait years and years for Legendary picture to negotiate both rights to make Godzilla vs Kong.

SiL

Assuming the Brothers don't renegotiate, yes.

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.

Voodoo Magic

Unfortunately, nothing will return to 'like it was' in a business sense though, unless the Thomas Brothers sell the rights in its entirety to Disney like George Lucas did (albeit for a heck of a lot less money). There will be another expenditure now, licensing fees paid to the Thomas Brothers if something is profitable or not. And with the cockamamie new sharing dividing line of the Hunters/Predator U.S. rights, a new Predator book from Titan would have to be approved by both license holders versus just one. It's a potential mess for a small franchise that screams "why bother", which is why I just hate thinking about it. :-\

SiL

Or it's a lot simpler than that and a slightly higher percent of proceeds go to the Brothers and that's about the end of it

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.

Voodoo Magic

Voodoo Magic

#493
Unless the Thomas Brothers do not want project control over their reclaimed license, I think just bumping some slightly higher percent of proceeds as a solution is just a gross oversimplification. And who says the Brothers will settle on a number equating to "slight"?

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.  :)


ace3g

I wonder if this will have any barring / set a precedent for the case

'Walking Dead' Lawsuit Settled For $200M Between Frank Darabont, CAA & AMC

https://twitter.com/DrewStruzan/status/1416204836081594371

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