See All Topics

Home / Section: Comic strips

Warren Beatty given green light to sue TMS

Posted by Alan Gardner
November 10, 2009

Last spring I reported that actor Warren Beatty had filed a lawsuit against Tribune Co and that Tribune Media Syndicate had filed an adversary complaint in a dispute over the television and movie rights to the Dick Tracy character. Beatty, who bought the rights in the 1980’s contends that he had started a television special last year that allowed for the rights to remain with him, but TMS argues that the time period for use of the characters had lapsed. A federal bankruptcy judge has now ruled that despite the Tribune Co. bankruptcy status, the original court case can move forward. According to a Reuter’s article sources close to the dispute said both sides are “discussing ways to resolve the matter by moving forward in California.”

Other blog posts by

Tools

Community Comments

Currently there are 2 Comments
Stay up-to-date on the comments by subscribing to the comments RSS feed.

#1 Chris Crosby
November/11/2009
@ 10:24 pm

This story seems so weird to me. Why does Warren Beatty still have the film and TV rights to DICK TRACY twenty years after last film!? What kinda crazy-long contract did TMS sign? And if he wants to hold onto them so much, why didn’t he just produce an ultra-low-budget DVD-premiere DICK TRACY prequel movie or something so he could hold onto the rights? The first film made $163 million in 1990 despite poor reviews so there’s clearly some market for it, and a DVD film wouldn’t rely on the cooperation of a TV network.
#2 Mark McComas
November/18/2009
@ 2:39 pm

I hope they resolve the whole thing and produce something of quality. Dick Tracy was one of my favorite comic strips when I was growing up. Gould went off on a weird tangent witht he “moon maid” stuff, but it was cutting edge crimefighting for its time. Sort of CSI: Chicago without the morgue stuff. Very Cool.

Join the discussion!

PLEASE NOTE: Please use your first AND last name when posting a comment. Please refrain from swearing. It's one of the rules that I enforce strictly. Thanks.

Want a cool icon next to your name? Go add one to Gravatar.com

*
*
This will not be published

(Optional)