Movies

Superman Release in Jeopardy: New Lawsuit Filed

BBG News

Is it a bird, plane, or court case? Not this time – it’s another legal challenge aimed at James Gunn’s Superman! The DCEU is finally making its grand debut on the big screen this July, with David Corenswet stepping into the cape as the Man of Steel in the revamped DC Universe. The film is set to premiere on July 11. However, the release date might undergo significant changes in certain countries due to another lawsuit from Joe Schuster’s estate, a co-creator of Superman, who has once again taken legal action against the DCU movie.

In a recent update from Puck’s newsletter, it was disclosed that Eriq Gardner reported on a renewed copyright case filed by Mare Toberoff, representing the Schuster estate, in a New York state court. Alongside the copyright claim, Toberoff is also pursuing an injunction to halt the distribution of Superman in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and Ireland. The rationale behind targeting these particular territories stems from their unique copyright regulations, as Toberoff alleges that Warner Bros. is unfairly profiting off of Superman.

According to recent reports, the New York Supreme Court has mandated Warner Bros. Discovery to file their opposition papers by this coming Friday. If they comply, representatives from the studio will need to appear in court on June 4th, where they’ll argue against granting an injunction. As per Puck’s report, this lawsuit, so near to the release of Superman, potentially poses a threat to the worldwide debut of the movie.

What ‘Superman’s Lawsuit Means for the DCU

If the court ruling goes in favor of granting the injunction, it could significantly impact the box office earnings of the movie ‘Superman’. The UK, Canada, and Australia are significant international markets for Hollywood films, and any delay in releasing the film in these territories would substantially reduce ‘Superman’s overall box office appeal. Some experts suggest that Warner Bros. might hold off on the release until a new date is set for these regions. However, this is all speculative as it depends on the court’s decision.

To set the record straight, I must mention that this isn’t the first time the Schuster estate has considered legal action against Superman. In fact, this year alone, they have attempted to take Warner Bros. Discovery to court in the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit filed in January aimed for “compensation and restraining orders” due to alleged ongoing infringement on similar territories detailed in their latest legal action. This case primarily focuses on Warner Bros.’ exploitation of the entire Superman intellectual property, with specific mention made of James Gunn’s upcoming movie and other related projects, as the suit states, “Defendants are currently planning a significant new Superman film and various spin-offs for immediate global distribution.

In March, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics requested that their lawsuit be thrown out of court. They argued that all claims made in the suit were unfounded. Initially, a federal judge rejected the dismissal request in March. But now, it appears that the estate intends to continue with the lawsuit. The upcoming release date for Superman is July 11, 2025. We’ll find out if there’s any truth to the lawsuit on June 4th.

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2025-05-23 18:42

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