Warner, DC Comics win 'Superman' case

Warner Brothers and DC Comics have won a favourable ruling in their latest legal battle with the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerome Siegel, says Variety.

Siegel's estate had alleged that license fees paid by the studio to DC had amounted to "sweetheart deals" because they had been done below the fair market value. This meant that the heirs could be entitled to claim profits from Warner in addition to DC.

However, a US District judge has ruled that there was "insufficient evidence" to prove that the license deals had been "consummated at below fair market value", after looking at similar terms including Iron Man and Spider-Man.

During the ten-day case, Warner chairman Alan Horn had testified that he was hoping to make another Superman film but that it was not currently in development and the earliest it could be released was 2012.

Speaking after the verdict, an attorney for Siegel's estate claimed that this meant his heirs and those of co-creator Joe Shuster could own the entire Superman copyright by 2013.

He said: "The court pointedly ruled that if Warner Bros does not start production on another Superman film by 2011, the Siegels will be able to sue to recover their damages."

A trial date of December 1 has been set to decide how profits should be allocated to the heirs, who were awarded half the copyright to Superman last year.