How the Watchmen legal problems could be sorted

Rich Johnston over at Lying in the Gutters thinks he has the solution:

Currently the situation has Fox filing suit against Warners and other connected companies over the rights to produce and distribute the upcoming "Watchmen" movie, based on contracts signed a considerable while ago. And it appears that they have a very good case indeed.

But do Fox really want to make a “Watchmen” film of their own? Do they want the money from the Warners “Watchmen” film? Do they want a cut? A payoff? Or just holding up a rival?

None of the above. Sources tell me that Fox want the 1960s Batman TV series. Currently Fox own the TV footage, but Warner Bros own the characters and trademarks, via their ownership of DC Comics. The rights to a DVD release have been held up for a long time now, and this case looks like it may be the instrument to release them.

Oh, Fox will get a wodge of cash as well - many millions of dollars it seems. But it seems they also want the rights to release the Adam West-starring Batman on DVD, something long denied fans of the series. And Warners will get the “Watchmen” film, to release as planned.

There were comic fans who threatened Fox boycotts over what they saw as their scuppering of the Watchmen movie. Looks like they may soon have cause to thank Fox for this action.

What do you make of all this?

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