By Sadie Gurman
DENVER (AP) --A Colorado company lost its latest fight against Disney over the rights to Marvel's iconic comic book characters Tuesday when a federal appeals court ruled it could not claim ownership to certain superheroes such as Spider-Man and Iron Man.
In its decision, a panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal judge's dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Stan Lee Media, which sought profits from the $5.5 billion the company says Disney made from movies and merchandise featuring Marvel's superheros.
Disney bought Marvel in 2009.
Stan Lee Media no longer is affiliated with comic book writer Stan Lee. But the company argued it had the rights to at least some of the characters under a 1998 agreement. Lee later sent Stan Lee Media a letter terminating the agreement because the company had breached the deal. He gave the same rights to Marvel, spawning the series of courtroom battles. Stan Lee Media has sued Marvel and others over the characters' copyrights in at least six cases, all of which have been dismissed, according to court documents.
In oral arguments in October, Disney argued there was no conceivable way the company could state a viable copyright claim.
The appeals court panel agreed, saying the copyright issue was already settled by another federal appeals court, which ruled Stan Lee Media failed to plausibly make its case.
"In other words, Stan Lee Media could not even allege any right to ownership of the disputed properties," the 10th Circuit judges wrote in their decision.
An attorney representing Stan Lee Media did not immediately return a call for comment.
The Sundance Film Festival may get a new home. Here are the 3 finalists
The Sundance Film Festival has narrowed its search for a new home down to three finalists.
One option remains a combination of Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, the latter its base for over 40 years. The other two, Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati would find the country's foremost showcase for independent film putting new roots down, the Sundance Institute said Thursday.
Eugene Hernandez, the festival's director and head of public programming said that each of the finalist cities "has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival."
For now, Sundance will continue operating out of Park City for the 2025 and 2026 festivals. Changes won't go into effect until the 2027 festival. Should the organization stick with Utah, the festival would center itself in Salt Lake City, with some elements in Park City.
Local leaders all issued statements as well. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said that Boulder is "the next natural home" for the festival, touting Colorado's creative communities. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Kristen Schlotman, the head of Film Cincinnati spoke about the Ohio city's dedication to the arts and its ability to offer a "dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue." Finally, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Park City Mayor Nann Worel and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said they are eager to "forge an even stronger bond to inspire artists and elevate the festival experience."
The Robert Redford-founded festival has been a launching pad for many top filmmakers over the years, from Quentin Tarantino to Ryan Coogler. It's also premiered many eventual Oscar nominees and winners, including "CODA," their first best picture winner, and... Read More