Quite the week for fans of Big Blue. Not only is it Superman’s 75th birthday, but the final trailer for Man of Steel was released on Wednesday to much acclaim (read Martin Deer’s reaction to the trailer here). But that isn’t the only news to come from the Superman camp.
Thanks to a ruling in the U.S. District Court, Warner Bros. ended its legal issues with the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. The ruling affirms a contested 2001 agreement between the estate and Warner, with the Siegels granting the studio and DC Comics full rights to Superman and Superboy. It’s looking like Warner Bros. and DC have finally won.
It seems as though the Siegel’s are never out of court over the legal rights of the Superman character. The first case began in late 40s and they were in court again in the early 70s and again in the 90s and throughout the 00s. So, who knows if this really is the end of the matter.
For now though, the WB could make a Superboy movie if they so wished. Who knows what ideas they might come up with if Man of Steel performs as expected?
Man of Steel is set for release 13th June 2013 and stars Henry Cavill (Immortals) as Superman, along with Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Kevin Costner (The Bodyguard), Amy Adams (The Fighter) and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix).
Originally published April 19, 2013. Updated December 13, 2019.
