James Gunn’s Superman movie is dealing with legal troubles as the estate of the original creator, Joseph Schuster, is suing Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics. With Gunn’s new superhero franchise up and running, DC Studios is getting closer to debuting the first DCU film, as the Superman movie is set to arrive this summer. While Superman is a few months away from its release, Gunn’s film, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery are facing a lawsuit revolving around the movie.
According to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, the estate of Joseph Schuster, who co-created Superman, has hit Warner Bros. Discovery with a lawsuit about the upcoming DC Universe movie starring David Corenswet, claiming that DC Studios doesn’t have the proper rights to release the new film in selected “key territories.” A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson said, “We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit, and will vigorously defend our rights.”
What The Superman Movie Lawsuit Means
According to the lawsuit, the estate claims that Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t have the rights to release Gunn’s Superman movie in countries like Canada, England, Ireland, and Australia. Schuster and fellow Superman co-creator Jerome “Jerry” Siegel, signed over worldwide rights to the character to DC’s predecessor, but the new lawsuit seems to hinge on international copyright law:
The copyright laws of countries with the British legal tradition—including Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia—contain provisions automatically terminating such ᴀssignments 25 years after an author’s death, vesting in the Shuster Estate the co-author’s undivided copyright interest in such countries.
If the lawsuit isn’t settled ahead of the movie’s planned July 11 release date, the Superman movie could potentially be delayed in those territories specifically, or worldwide. However, that depends on the veracity of the lawsuit, and WBD’s statement seems confident it doesn’t hold water, which may indicate DC Studios has no plans to allow the lawsuit to affect Superman’s release.
This isn’t the first time that Warner Bros. Discovery has had to deal with Superman lawsuits, as they had to settle one only 11 years ago. That particular lawsuit was settled in Warner’s favor, and it’s possible this new one will as well. What remains to be seen is how quickly it will be settled.
Our Take On The Superman Movie Lawsuit
Given how incredibly important the Superman movie is for Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios as the first movie on the DCU’s release slate, the studio is more than likely going to do whatever it can to deal with this lawsuit as fast as possible. With only months left to go, a lawsuit could possibly affect the marketing of the film, especially after the first Superman movie trailer left fans wanting to see more of the film. Hopefully, more updates on the Superman lawsuit and whether it will affect the film’s release will emerge sooner rather than later.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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Superman
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Release Date
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June 26, 2026
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The Batman Part II
- Release Date
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October 1, 2027
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Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
