Over the years, DC Comics and Superman in particular have had an interesting screen life. Retcons and reinventions are certainly nothing new throughout Warner Bros.’ attempts to bring their iconic characters to life cinematically, though the end results have been wildly mixed. But, now, producer/director James Gunn, along with Peter Safran, one of the lead producers behind Warner’s massively successful The Conjuring Universe, have set out to reboot the series, shifting away from the DCEU in favor of the new DCU. Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman is set to inaugurate the new franchise in the summer of 2025. However, it’s not all smooth soaring for everyone’s favorite Man of Steel, thanks to the filing of a recent lawsuit. Collider’s here to explain the matter, and what it means for the future of Superman as a whole.

The Rights to ‘Superman’ Are Complex

In many ways, Superman is the perfect way to reboot Warner Bros.’ struggling superhero franchise. Not only is the character one of DC’s most iconic, the new cast and change in tone have fans excited for the film’s summer release. However, a recently filed lawsuit is throwing a wrench into those plans. According to the Independent, the rights to the character have quite a few contingencies attached to them, with certain specificities reaching all the way back to 1938, when Superman was the joint creation of illustrator Joseph Shuster and writer Jerome Siegel.

Per the lawsuit, the character was originally licensed to Detective Comics, the company that would eventually morph into DC. However, Shuster’s estate is now arguing that, under British law, the rights to Superman actually reverted to them in 2017 after the 25th anniversary of Shuster’s passing. With that in mind, the suit posits that Warner Bros. has failed to pay proper royalties for the character in several regions outside the U.S., including the U.K., Canada, and Australia. Unless some sort of agreement is reached, the lawsuit could throw the future of the Superman franchise into disarray. However, Shuster’s estate claims this isn’t actually their intent.

Shuster’s Estate Is Seeking a Deal to Allow More ‘Superman’

The court order filed by Shuster’s estate is seeking monetary damages, in addition to the prevention of further Superman-based material without the proper license. Per Reuters, Warner Bros. has done something rather rare by opting to respond to the lawsuit, saying: “We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit, and will vigorously defend our rights.” Shuster’s estate has also responded, but with nuanced claims surrounding their intentions. “This suit is not intended to deprive fans of their next Superman,” claims Marc Toberoff, a lawyer for the estate, “but rather seeks just compensation for Joe Shuster’s fundamental contributions as the co-creator of Superman.”

Be that as it may, it remains to be seen how the suit will affect the international release of James Gunn’s upcoming epic. It should also be noted that this isn’t the first time such a battle has been fought over Superman. The estates for both Shuster and Siegel have waged legal war over the character with Warner Bros. a number of times over the years. But, with this one, we will have to wait to see how it all plays out in court over the next few months.

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