Superman Creator's Estate Reportedly Files New Lawsuit To Block James Gunn's Movie From Releasing In Certain Countries

James Gunn’s Superman movie is facing another lawsuit as the Man of Steel co-creator’s estate has reportedly filed a new lawsuit that could affect the DC Universe movie’s release. After a long wait to see the character back on the big screen, the Superman movie is approaching its summer release, with David Corenswet starring as the next live-action version of the DC icon. While the previous Superman movie lawsuit was dismissed in April, Warner Bros. Discovery is facing another round of litigation.

In Matthew Belloni’s latest Puck Newsletter, Eriq Gardner writes that attorney Marc Toberoff has reportedly refiled his copyright case, on behalf of the estate of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, in New York state court. Toberoff is additionally seeking an injunction to block Warner Bros. from “exploiting Superman” in the U.K., Ireland, Canada, and Australia – where the estate is disputing copyright ownership due to the countries’ specific copyright laws.

According to Gardner, Warner Bros. Discovery had been ordered by the New York Supreme Court to “submit opposition papers by Friday,” before appearing in court on June 4 where they would have to explain why an injunction shouldn’t be granted. At the time of this story’s publication, Warner Bros. Discovery has not commented. Gardner writes that the suit is “theoretically jeopardizing the global rollout” of Gunn’s Superman movie.

What The New Superman Movie Lawsuit Means

Superman not releasing in Australia, Ireland, Canada, and the U.K. could be a problem for the DCU installment, as those are considered some major markets outside the U.S., which could have an impact on the box office results. It’s unlikely the studio would delay the release of Superman, as they are deep into the marketing for Gunn’s summer blockbuster film. That’s why Warner Bros. Discovery will do whatever it can to fight the injunction, especially as the movie is less than two months away from being released.

While time will tell how this plays out, it’s key to remember the history of Superman lawsuits, as the studio has had to deal with similar cases before when it comes to the Man of Tomorrow. Leading up to the release of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the Superman rights were being challenged in a similar case, but that lawsuit ended with the court ruling in favor of Warner Bros. and they were legally granted the right to have the proper ownership. That’s why this latest situation will likely end sooner rather than later, as the clock is ticking for Superman’s July 11 release.

Our Take On The New Superman Movie Lawsuit

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Seeing how history has played out for Warner Bros. Discovery and the Superman rights, it’s possible the studio will have a similar outcome with Gunn’s movie. It remains to be seen how exactly the suit will play out, but the status of the injunction is likely to be determined during the June 4 court date, so more should be known in a few weeks. Hopefully, more updates on the Superman lawsuit will emerge at that time.