Watchmen release to go ahead: Fox and Warner Bros. bury the hatchet

: 19 January 2009; Gerard Wood

As anticipated, Fox and Warner Bros. have reached an understanding over rights to the Watchmen property, avoiding the need to face-off once more in court and making the scheduled 6 March release very likely.

Although Fox may well have walked away the victor in the eyes of the court, neither party could have really won this case and coming to an arrangement with Warners is probably the best that Fox could have expected.

Especially as it had lost the battle for the hearts and minds of the public in this matter. From Warners’ perspective, on the other hand, far too much had been invested in the movie to risk throwing itself before the mercy of the court. As always, self-interest is a great motivator.

Announcing that “The matter is fully and finally settled,” Louis A. Karasik, Fox’s attorney, declared that the studio would seek to have the case dismissed, a move that should clear the way for the movie’s release on 6 March. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but it is speculated that Fox will receive a significant payment, on top of a percentage of the box office, in exchange, one supposes, for any future claim to the Watchmen property. Fox will not be co-distributing the movie it would appear.

The PR machine has kicked in and we're to believe that in Hollywood the villains are only ever on the big screen. A joint statement, with foxy paw prints all over it, states that "Warner Bros. acknowledges that Fox acted in good faith in bringing its claims, which were asserted prior to the start of principal photography.” From Fox's point of view this concession by Warners is critical as the popular perception is that Fox had waited until Warners had invested a small fortune in the project before pursuing its claim (a claim to a project in which Fox had previously shown no interest). For its part, Fox accepts that “Warner Bros. acted in good faith defending against those claims”, a generous concession that it's ok to defend yourself.

Enough cynicism. The good news is that Watchmen is on the way!

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