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Judge Rules in Fox's Favor Over Watchmen Movie

Source:  The New York Times
In a story from The New York Times, it appears that judge Gary A. Feess has sided with 20th Century Fox in their copyright claim regarding the Watchmen movie.

The film was made as a co-venture by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Feess's decision came down Wednesday in the United States District Court for Central California.

Fox has been trying to stop Warner Bros. from releasing the movie which was directed by Zack Snyder. The film is slated for release on March 6, 2009.

Originally, Feess felt that the copyright issue between Fox and Warner Bros. would be settled through a trial. Now Feess feels "that Fox should prevail on crucial issues."

"Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the Watchmen motion picture," Feess's ruling said.

Fox picked up to the rights to the Watchmen graphic novel in the 1980s with Lawrence Gordon on board as producer. Fox eventually moved on and Gordon set the property up with Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.

"The parties may wish to turn their efforts from preparing for trial to negotiating a resolution of this dispute or positioning the case for review," Feess stated.

36 Comments


December 28th, 2008 10:56am
A friend of mine suggested that WB "accidentally" leak the movie before FUX can get their hands on it.
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 9:40pm
FOX SUCKS SUCKS.
WOW amazing not even one comment on this is a good comment for fox. i think this should be taken in considiration. let's put a petition on here. lol. i think this should work. loll
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 7:57pm
FOX is guilty of entrapment. Pure and simple. It was public knowledge that WB was making a Watchmen movie, and FUX waited for them to do it, then sprung their suit. FUX, eat ALL the dicks.
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 2:15pm
Go to hell Fox.
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 1:30pm
shove it up your ass Fox.
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 12:52pm
WB makes better movies, so Fox wants to put their name on it cause it looks like it will be good. Nothing more. See now, if it looked like complete shit they wouldn't have even bothered with this lawsuit cause they wouldn't want their name on it. If somebody takes your idea and makes it better, than in all fairness, kudos to them since you didn't originally make it better before they took it on. For example, if they would have started filming it (Fox that is) and then Warner Bros. started filming afterwards I could see that being fucked up and a problem. If you're not gonna do shit with things that you own that will make money, I say somebody else (like WB) should take your shit, and do it themselves since Fox has just been sitting on their ass pooping out lesser quality films. Fox is just jealous and trying to fuck over WB making a potentially good Watchmen movie, and are upset cause Fox won't get off their lazy asses and make a Watchmen movie, instead steal what WB organized, produced and casted etc. So I say fuck Fox. They didn't do a damn fucking thing but piss off fans and moviegoers and countless WB personel who worked very hard on Watchmen. That's fucked up. The judge is probably in his 60s, who has no taste in films or how much hard work WB and co. put into the movie, so they will let Fox win and reap all the benefits? How is that fair?
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 9:27am
This is monumentally terrible news. Does Fox know that everybody hates them?
  (Delete)
December 27th, 2008 6:20am
Please, just don't change the release date.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 11:59pm
I thought WB own rights to all DC films I never seen one movie distributed by FOX that was a DC comic film. Any way I hope there is no delay. Also does this affect Snyder and the cast?
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 10:13pm
i say we say fuck fox, don't go see it on the cinema and wait for the fucking Synder Cut where the profit should go to Warner & Legendry.

Give them the profits to the thetrical cut on cinema and after 2 weeks on cinema.
Release the director's cut with the additional 35mins with all profits profits going to Warner and legendery.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 9:37pm
If Feess want to live to see another day he will give everything to warner and legendary.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 8:35pm
I've always had a very low opinion of Fox's politics. In all the years I've worked in cinemas (17 years and counting now) they've always been assholes to try and work with. They think they're gods gift to the film industry and that really pisses me off! The policy's they place on films when you book them can be quite ridiculous, especially on smaller cinemas.

Go to hell Fox!!!
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 8:12pm
I think we can all agree to tell Fox to fuck themselves with the help of judge Feess!FUCK!
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 7:57pm
To quote John Hammond from Michael Crichton's critically acclaimed novel, "Jurassic Park:"

OH BALLS!

Seriously, though, this REALLY SUCKS!
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 7:52pm
Comrade, its in quotes from a movie I saw, the other nite, but I forgot who says it, so then, i just put quotes. Lol.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 7:40pm
if i don't see The Watchmen on march 6th im going to fight everyone who is associated with Fox!!
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 7:07pm
i agree with Foy: Rorschach.
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December 26th, 2008 6:32pm
FOX FUCK YOU YOU MOTHERFUCKIN COCKSUCKERS. YOU ARE THE SHIT OF MY SHIT. NO YOU ARE EVEN LOWER THAN THAT. YOU ARE THE SHIT THAT IS FUCKED UP BY MY SHIT. FUCK YOU LITTLE COCKSUCKERS TO THE POINT WHERE YOUR VAGINA STARTS BLEEDING. NO NONONONO. TO THE POINT WHERE YOUR MOUTHS STARTS BLEEDING ALSO. FUCK THIS SHIT. KNOW I GOT REALLY MAD AT THIS.

the end is:
FOX = SHIT
WARNER BROS PICTURE = BEST PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 2008 (IN MY OPINION) AND 2009.
THIS ARTICLE = VERY VERY VERY MUCH OF DISAPPOINTMENT.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 6:04pm
This is why Copyright laws are such bullsh$2t in it's current state. Everyone claiming they own a piece of something. If it's confusing for major corporations then you know Copyright Laws need to be fixed already.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 5:23pm
Fuck you Fox.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 4:50pm
I'm still upset with Fox about this, but really, Gordon should have taken care of the Fox rights before venturing out with other studios. This could have been avoided if they voided the contract.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 4:17pm
Why is "What an ASSHOLE!!!" in quotes?
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December 26th, 2008 3:11pm
Sons of bitches!! "What an ASSHOLE!!!". Fox is dropped. It used to be good, now its fucked. And yeah, why didn't they sue them while they started filing, not when it was almost done. Fuckin idiots, stealin work cuz their too lazy to do it themselves.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 2:46pm
SHUT UP FOX!!!!!!!
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 2:34pm
Fuck Fox those cock suckers could of sued Warners while they were shooting Watchmen this is bullshit fuck FOX and Judge Feess if this gets delayed you can be Damn sure I will boycott fox Fucking cock suckers!
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 2:29pm
Oh crap. I was looking forward to this, but now I'm tempted to boycott it in theaters and wait for an online bootleg, just to show FOX up. What a disappointment.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 2:15pm
I hope FOX gets sued by someone else and loses everything.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 2:07pm
Fuck fox
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 1:19pm
AHHHH! Please don't delay this! I LOVE Watchmen! Goddammit Fox, you pecker holes! >:( Hmph
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 12:53pm
Fuck Fox man,
I can't believe they did this shit, i saw 30 minutes of Watchmen and now i have to wait for a new release date to see the rest, this fucking pisses me off.
Those 30 minutes were amazing.

Fox's employee's can ite Eddie Murphy's ass with a Riddler question mark on it
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 12:39pm
FOX=Cunts. All of them. First the Futurama cancellation, now this.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 12:02pm
Most likely
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 11:52am
i'm confused. does this delay the release?
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 11:50am
Fuck Fox and fuck Judge Feces.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 11:31am
How the fuck do you say that judge's last name? Fees...Fess...OH! ASSHOLE! Yeah, that's it.
  (Delete)
December 26th, 2008 11:04am
o god. fox has lost all the ability needed to make a decent movie so now they have to mooch off others. granted they still have rights to it, but i bet if this was a sequel to Death to smoochy, they would want nothing to do with it
  (Delete)

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