via BBC News
Warner Bros have won an important legal victory over the heirs of one of the creators of Superman, giving it total commercial control of the superhero.
An appeals panel unanimously ruled that Jerome Siegel’s heirs must abide by a 2001 letter accepting Warner’s offer for their 50% share of Superman.
Though the five-page letter was never formalized into a contract, the appeals court said it was still binding.
The latest Superman film, Man of Steel, is due to be released this summer.
In his ruling, Judge Stephen Reinhardt, of the 9th US Circuit of Appeals, wrote both parties “had resolved the last outstanding point in the deal during a conversation on Oct 15, 2001”.
He added the letter “accurately reflected the material terms they had orally agreed to on that day,”
The ruling undoes a 2008 court decision ordering Warner Bros. to share an undetermined amount of money earned since 1999 with the heirs, and to give the family control of key components of the Superman story, including his costume.
Superman’s co-creators, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, battled for higher compensation for the comic book creation throughout their lives.
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Article courtesy bbc.co.uk
