Jim and John Thomas suing Disney to reclaim Predator rights

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

Author
Jim and John Thomas suing Disney to reclaim Predator rights (Read 91,163 times)

Kailem

Uh-oh:

Quote from: The Hollywood ReporterJim and John Thomas say Disney's hold on the franchise expires this week. Disney becomes a defendant for the first time on the copyright termination front.

Jim and John Thomas, the brothers who wrote the 1987 action film Predator, have filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of successfully recapturing rights to the franchise. In California federal court, the two say that Disney — which now owns 20th Century Fox  — is standing in the way.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/predator-screenwriters-suing-disney-to-recapture-rights

I really hope this doesn't become another Friday the 13th-type situation where nothing can be done with the character until all this legal stuff is sorted out; because they're literally being repped by the same lawyer.

Maybe this is why the comic were suddenly pushed back?

SuperiorIronman

It's gonna look bad on Saturday. Everyone will see the full extent then but for now enjoy it while it lasts.

At best they settle where Disney and the Thomas brothers get a deal for the license.

At worst we end up with Disney owning certain Predators due to them falling under a license outside the Predator franchise. If AVP is a separate thing they wouldn't get Scar but Disney can't do the alien sport hunter thing.

It's probably why the comic got delayed. Someone at Marvel probably realized this was happening and delayed production to see where the ball falls. Still this isn't really good for anyone working on the franchise since it's kind of messy what is or isn't Predator specific material anyways,

Voodoo Magic


Xterminate

I'm rooting for the Thomas Brothers, I hope the cause The Rat nothing but problems.

Huggs

This going to affect the new movie?

Winter_Alekss

Quote from: SuperiorIronman on Apr 16, 2021, 01:44:38 AM
It's gonna look bad on Saturday. Everyone will see the full extent then but for now enjoy it while it lasts.

At best they settle where Disney and the Thomas brothers get a deal for the license.

At worst we end up with Disney owning certain Predators due to them falling under a license outside the Predator franchise. If AVP is a separate thing they wouldn't get Scar but Disney can't do the alien sport hunter thing.

It's probably why the comic got delayed. Someone at Marvel probably realized this was happening and delayed production to see where the ball falls. Still this isn't really good for anyone working on the franchise since it's kind of messy what is or isn't Predator specific material anyways,
The worst part is that a lot of fans are celebrating this and they haven't realize this means no NECA figures, no comics, no videogames for some time, how long? I don't know. I really hope Disney wins this. I'm hating those brothers now. 😡

Nightmare Asylum

Nightmare Asylum

#6
Nah, I hope Disney loses big time here. Disney has more than enough license-wise as they continue to monopolize the entire industry that they can move forward without batting an eye if they lose Predator.

Let the actual creators here get their piece of the pie for their own creation, and let them license things out as they see fit.

SuperiorIronman

Quote from: Huggs on Apr 16, 2021, 02:22:15 AM
This going to affect the new movie?

It will affect production on the new movie and Predator related material. As of Saturday material will have to go through the Thomas Brothers for permission to do so. Meaning for the comic, film production, Hunting Grounds, toys, all of that will need to seek confirmation from them in order to proceed. Meaning anything already out or in production will need new contracts negotiated by the new I.P owners or cease activity. It's especially irksome for Neca or the new film's production since money had been spent on new material. Illfonic will be going through this for the second time assuming the Thomas brothers don't want to negotiate with them and things stand to be delisted due to ownership changing hands.

I don't think anyone is going to be happy about this on the business side of things. And frankly the fans shouldn't be either, at least not immediately because just as everything was coming out everything grinds back to a halt and potentially may stay there. This means nothing comes out without new contracts.

Nightmare Asylum

New contracts that favor the creators, hopefully. With them benefiting from licensing agreements, rather than Disney.

Voodoo Magic

Quote from: Huggs on Apr 16, 2021, 02:22:15 AM
This going to affect the new movie?

It could.

Quote from: Nightmare Asylum on Apr 16, 2021, 02:30:55 AM
Nah, I hope Disney loses big time here. Disney has more than enough license-wise as they continue to monopolize the entire industry that they can move forward without batting an eye if they lose Predator.

Let the actual creators here get their piece of the pie for their own creation, and let them license things out as they see fit.

I know you've mentioned you're not really a Predator fan so just imagine this happening with Alien. From Titan books, to games, to the series, if it goes the way of Friday the 13th, it can paralyze new content for years. :-[

Quote from: SuperiorIronman on Apr 16, 2021, 02:39:47 AM
It will affect production on the new movie and Predator related material. As of Saturday material will have to go through the Thomas Brothers for permission to do so.

That is fortunately not at all definite. It all depends on immediate legal challenges and subsequent judge rulings. We'll all have to wait and see with pits in our stomachs. :-\

Nightmare Asylum

Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 16, 2021, 02:47:28 AM
Quote from: Nightmare Asylum on Apr 16, 2021, 02:30:55 AM
Nah, I hope Disney loses big time here. Disney has more than enough license-wise as they continue to monopolize the entire industry that they can move forward without batting an eye if they lose Predator.

Let the actual creators here get their piece of the pie for their own creation, and let them license things out as they see fit.

I know you've mentioned you're not really a Predator fan so just imagine this happening with Alien. From Titan books, to games, to the series, if it goes the way of Friday the 13th, it can paralyze new content for years. :-[

This has nothing to do with me not caring for Predator as an infinitely ongoing franchise (I absolutely love the first two movies, and like Predators). This is all about me wanting to see the people that created the thing in the first place actually getting their end of the deal that they initially struck and not getting snuffed out by a massive corporation like Disney, like so many others before them have. I'd feel the same if the creators of any successful franchise were in the same position.

I absolutely think that Titan and Neca and all of those other licenses stuck around – but with those deals being struck with the Thomas Brothers, not with Disney, as their original contract with Fox dictated.

ace3g

Just saw this on IG, lol


SM

Can't see the Thomas' winning this.  At best they'll get some extra points.

Engineer

So they are the creators of "predator"

But not so much for "predators" and the super predators featured in that film... could that be a loophole? Maybe that's why titan's new AVP book used the plural for the first time since that third film's era? "Aliens vs predators: ultimate prey."

Nightmare Asylum

Quote from: SM on Apr 16, 2021, 02:56:51 AM
Can't see the Thomas' winning this.  At best they'll get some extra points.

Yeah, I unfortunately don't see them being able to actually win here either. But if they can leverage it to cut a deal that puts a bit more in their pockets, then all the power to them.

AvPGalaxy: About | Contact | Cookie Policy | Manage Cookie Settings | Privacy Policy | Legal Info
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Patreon RSS Feed
Contact: General Queries | Submit News