To the surprise of few but the relief of many, it appears that Fox and Warners are hashing out this WATCHMEN thing, as THR reports they are “close” to a settlement. Both parties met in private in federal court to talk about the case. For those just waking up from a coma, a judge ruled that Fox still had copyright interest in the film that Warners has been longing to release on March 6.
Neither Fox nor Warners would comment on the discussions, which continued for about 30 minutes in the chambers of Judge Gary Feess. Warners has not pressed its earlier request to move up the Jan. 20 injunction hearing, suggesting a settlement is near.
Other signs that things are getting settled: a new round of WATCHMEN ads during the football playoffs and 24. For the armchair psychologists among you, the final piece of evidence is blogger Michael Cieply’s shrewd interpretation of studio head body language:
From where this reporter sat at the Golden Globes last night, that sure looked like Tom Rothman of Fox and Alan Horn of Warner Brothers down among the superstar seats, smiling and back-patting — each other, not the superstars — just before the show began.
There you have it. Burst tire tread ho!
Empty MOET bottles in alley, limos all long gone. Tickets MUST be sold. We have seen Hollywood’s true face.
I’ll guess that two things are going to happen: 1) Warners will have to split its WATCHMEN profits with Fox, and 2) Fox will get to release the 1966 BATMAN series.
Rothman and Roth are probably patting themselves on the back because they rather play “Marvel Team Up” on Larry Gordon – and sue him for all the damages instead.
Big write up in the biz selection of the LA Times this morning.
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Coat