Fox's new FF reboot...could Marvel sue?

[enyawd72]

Considering the success of Guardians of the Galaxy and pretty much every other Marvel Studios release, if Fox's butchered version of Fantastic Four is a flop, (and I truly expect it to be) could Marvel be within their rights to sue?

I've often wondered about this...since Marvel still owns the Fantastic Four, if Fox releases a film that damages the characters reputation and negatively affects the franchise's sales of other media such as comics, etc. would that be grounds to get the rights back?

[MIB41]

That's an interesting question. I'm not familiar with the parameters of a license, but I would think Marvel would have leverage to stop production if they thought the product was going to wreck the brand. Something tells me their laughing all the way to the bank while Fox is rewriting the definition of bankruptcy. I will not be watching it either.

[hedrap]

No. Best they could do is try to stop a sequel by disavowing this one after its release. If they say something now, Fox can sue for damages. Fox has to have something always in development or it reverts. Not sure if TV would count.

[madmarva]

Let it gooo, Let it gooo, please Fox, Let it go.

[enyawd72]

No. Best they could do is try to stop a sequel by disavowing this one after its release. If they say something now, Fox can sue for damages. Fox has to have something always in development or it reverts. Not sure if TV would count.

So Fox can sue Marvel for damaging their film, but Marvel can't sue Fox for their film damaging the FF? That seems wrong somehow. I was always under the impression that franchisees have to at least adhere to some kind of standards. Of course, when the original deal was signed, Marvel probably never dreamed something like this mess would ever make it to the screen.

[clemso]

Marvel wouldn't need to sue. If FF bombs at the box office, i doubt Fox will want to make another and it will go the way of Daredevil and return to Marvel Studios.

[LonnieFisher]

Considering the success of Guardians of the Galaxy and pretty much every other Marvel Studios release, if Fox's butchered version of Fantastic Four is a flop, (and I truly expect it to be) could Marvel be within their rights to sue?

I've often wondered about this...since Marvel still owns the Fantastic Four, if Fox releases a film that damages the characters reputation and negatively affects the franchise's sales of other media such as comics, etc. would that be grounds to get the rights back?

They gave permission to use them. They can make whatever they want. Marvel has no say now. Otherwise they would have to make a movie for Marvel, not Fox.

[samurainoir]

Given the fact that they already made the Roger Corman film just to keep the rights, that a pretty low point to be aiming for.

[hedrap]

So Fox can sue Marvel for damaging their film, but Marvel can't sue Fox for their film damaging the FF? That seems wrong somehow. I was always under the impression that franchisees have to at least adhere to some kind of standards. Of course, when the original deal was signed, Marvel probably never dreamed something like this mess would ever make it to the screen.

You have to consider how Fox got the rights. It wasn't a deal between Fox and Marvel. In the late 80's, Marvel was owned by Roger Corman via New World Pictures. They split the company into two parts and sold the comic division to Revlon. New World kept MEG, which held the film/tv rights. At this point, certain rights were already gone, (somehere I have the original AP article announcing how they had just signed away Thor, Dr. Strange, Cap, etc...), but FF and a few others were still with MEG: Marvel Entertainment Group.

Through a really convoluted mess of buying subsidiaries, Fox eventually end up owning New World, which is how Fox Kids was able to pump out so many Marvel cartoons while not having the live-action rights to some of those characters. So technically, Fox does own Marvel...Entertainment Group. Revlon, by owning the publication, held the IP rights for merchandise. Toy Biz was brought in as a partner, and when Revlon-Marvel went bankrupt, Toy Biz bought them out as a way to launder the licensing fees.

From Fox's viewpoint, I get why they don't re-negotiate or play nice with Marvel. They bought their film/tv division years ago. If a Spidey/Hulk/Thor/Namor/Strange etc... movie was produced when New World was operating, they would have been a co-producer with Universal or Tri-Star. So how did that right not revert to Fox? On top of it, if they didn't pump out the Fox Kids cartoons, the majority of 20-30 somethings of the past decade wouldn't know who the hell these characters were. X-Men did not have a cultural footprint until that cartoon and it saved Toy Biz-Marvel's arse because they had no real success until toy lines were based on the cartoons. The story I'm still waiting for is how Arad side-stepped Fox from being the co-producers on Spider-Man or Hulk. Fox must have done something with the MEG subsidiary to relinquish that position on outside Marvel properties.

This actually ties back into that FTC discussion we were having about X-Men film rights. I tend to believe that Fox could make a solid argument for an IP library based on MEG and it would explain why things have gone into cold war mode between the two. Then when you consider Fiege only got a foot in at Marvel because the Donners hired him for the first X-Men, and the guy didn't know dck about Marvel until then, and then they sold out to Disney...that's a lot of bad blood.

Honestly, I don't like the Fox Marvel movies, but I side with them. When you really study the Toy Biz-Marvel guys, you see they're glorified squatters who knife-fight each other. In the early 2k's, I used to refer to them as Disney's version of Mos Eisley, so the irony of what's happened over the years is total smdh.

[monitor_ep]

Well I will not be watching this when it comes out at the movies. This is be a train wreck when it comes out. It will be Fox fault when this movie bombs, because they strayed away from comic books AGAIN.

[enyawd72]

You have to consider how Fox got the rights. It wasn't a deal between Fox and Marvel. In the late 80's, Marvel was owned by Roger Corman via New World Pictures. They split the company into two parts and sold the comic division to Revlon. New World kept MEG, which held the film/tv rights. At this point, certain rights were already gone, (somehere I have the original AP article announcing how they had just signed away Thor, Dr. Strange, Cap, etc...), but FF and a few others were still with MEG: Marvel Entertainment Group.

Through a really convoluted mess of buying subsidiaries, Fox eventually end up owning New World, which is how Fox Kids was able to pump out so many Marvel cartoons while not having the live-action rights to some of those characters. So technically, Fox does own Marvel...Entertainment Group. Revlon, by owning the publication, held the IP rights for merchandise. Toy Biz was brought in as a partner, and when Revlon-Marvel went bankrupt, Toy Biz bought them out as a way to launder the licensing fees.

From Fox's viewpoint, I get why they don't re-negotiate or play nice with Marvel. They bought their film/tv division years ago. If a Spidey/Hulk/Thor/Namor/Strange etc... movie was produced when New World was operating, they would have been a co-producer with Universal or Tri-Star. So how did that right not revert to Fox? On top of it, if they didn't pump out the Fox Kids cartoons, the majority of 20-30 somethings of the past decade wouldn't know who the hell these characters were. X-Men did not have a cultural footprint until that cartoon and it saved Toy Biz-Marvel's arse because they had no real success until toy lines were based on the cartoons. The story I'm still waiting for is how Arad side-stepped Fox from being the co-producers on Spider-Man or Hulk. Fox must have done something with the MEG subsidiary to relinquish that position on outside Marvel properties.

This actually ties back into that FTC discussion we were having about X-Men film rights. I tend to believe that Fox could make a solid argument for an IP library based on MEG and it would explain why things have gone into cold war mode between the two. Then when you consider Fiege only got a foot in at Marvel because the Donners hired him for the first X-Men, and the guy didn't know dck about Marvel until then, and then they sold out to Disney...that's a lot of bad blood.

Honestly, I don't like the Fox Marvel movies, but I side with them. When you really study the Toy Biz-Marvel guys, you see they're glorified squatters who knife-fight each other. In the early 2k's, I used to refer to them as Disney's version of Mos Eisley, so the irony of what's happened over the years is total smdh.

Thanks for all that info...I wasn't aware of the history there. Still, even if Fox can't stand Marvel, you'd think they'd want to make successful films, and follow Marvel's lead when it comes to sticking close to the source material. It's obviously working, but maybe Fox thinks all the controversy surrounding their changes will somehow equal box office draw. If that's the case I feel they're in for a rude awakening.

[The Bat]

Something tells me their laughing all the way to the bank while Fox is rewriting the definition of bankruptcy. I will not be watching it either.

What'd ya know...you and I agree on something.

[MIB41]

What'd ya know...you and I agree on something.

World peace has been achieved! Glad you're back home.

[The Bat]

Glad you're back home.

Thanks Dude!!

[Hulk]

I presume people are talking about this...

http://bamsmackpow.com/2014/08/25/fake-josh-trank-twitter-account-fools-people-fantastic-four-reboot/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Trending%20on%20FS