‘Watchmen’ Dispute Resolved

My colleague, Kirsten, has been covering the ongoing legal battle surrounding Watchmen over the past few months. Unfortunately, due to PC troubles, she is unable to report that the mess now finally seems to be over, with a resolution to the messy battle over rights and the like.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. and Fox have finally settled the case between them. The case has already been aired in court, with Judge Gary Feess siding with Fox. A full case was then meant to go ahead soon by Feess urged the two parties to settle before that happened. Shockingly for Hollywood, the two sides have done just that and the case will be dismissed.

Terms of the deal were not immediately released but it’s thought that Fox will receive a hefty cash settlement along with a percentage of the box office takings. Fox will not have anything to do with the film’s release or co-own the Watchmen rights, but it will profit from the franchise.

A statement from the two companies read as follows:

“Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox have resolved their dispute regarding the rights to the upcoming motion picture Watchmen in a confidential settlement. Warner Bros acknowledges that Fox acted in good faith in bringing its claims, which were asserted prior to the start of principal photography. Fox acknowledges that Warner Bros. acted in good faith in defending against those claims Warner Bros. and Fox, like all Watchmen fans, look forward with great anticipation to this film’s March 6 release in theatres.”

Thank God that’s over because there were fears that the dispute was going to prevent the film hitting its March release date. Watchmen is one of the movies I’m most looking forward to this year so I’d have been gutted if a legal wrangle had prevented it coming out. Thankfully, the two sides involved used common sense for a change and the movie will now be out on schedule.