The DCU"s Superman Movie Legal Issues Aren"t The Only Copyright Problems DC Has Faced

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The upcoming Superman reboot movie set in the new DC Universe is facing some legal trouble, adding to the list of past DC issues regarding copyright of movies, comics, and more. James Gunn is rebooting the iconic Man of Steel in July with Superman, starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent. The project is the first film in the DCU"s Chapter One, hoping to start the franchise with a bang after the animated Creature Commandos series introduced audiences to the new shared universe and even featured a Superman cameo.
During a Superman movie set visit attended by ScreenRant and other outlets, Gunn explained that his and Peter Safran"s 10-year plan for the DCU would only be able to happen if Superman was a success. According to the director of the Superman film, the DCU is "not just going to keep making movies" if Superman is not a hit. That is why a recent lawsuit against the upcoming DC film could complicate things. Superman"s situation is a delicate one, as DC has both had success and faced problems in the past over copyright disputes.
Superman Creator's Estate Is Suing WBD And DC Comics To Block The Movie The DCU Needs Superman To Release In As Many Countries As Possible Close Needing Superman to be a major hit to continue the DCU after the final films in the old DCEU faltered at the box office, DC Comics and its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, are now faced with a complicated situation. Deadline revealed that the estate of Joseph Shuster, who co-created Superman for DC Comics alongside Jerry Siegel, is suing DC and Warner, trying to block James Gunn"s Superman reboot from being released in key territories. Shuster"s estate claims the companies do not possess the rights for the film"s release in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.
DC could lose more than $100 million with its new Superman film, based on how those key territories performed at the box office when Henry Cavill"s Man of Steel grossed $670 million worldwide. Warner Bros. Discovery was notably displeased with the lawsuit. A spokesperson for the studio issued a statement on the ordeal, saying, "We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit and will vigorously defend our rights." The copyright laws of the countries mentioned would have terminated the assignment of Superman"s rights to DC Comics 25 years after the authors" deaths, with Shuster"s estate regaining them in 2017.
Superman's Copyright History Includes A Fight For Superboy The DCU Fight Is Not Warner's First With The Superman Creators' Estates

The lawsuit that could block the release of James Gunn"s Superman is not the first time DC has had legal issues surrounding Superman. It all started during World War II. Before being drafted into the U.S. Army, Joe Shuster pitched both a newspaper strip and later a comic book script about Superboy — Superman as a boy. After those were rejected by DC, he went to war, but DC would use Superboy without warning him. After he returned from war and spent a year frustrated, Shuster convinced Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel to sue DC for the rights of Superman and Superboy.

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