James Gunn’s Superman was always going to face an uphill battle at the box office. Between Henry Cavill and Zack Snyder fans boycotting the film and the growing fatigue around superhero movies, DCU’s first entry needs to be something truly special to usher in a new era for the studio. But just as Superman was beginning to take flight—releasing official trailers for theaters and, more recently, TV—a legal kryptonite has swooped in to ground the Man of Steel.
Deadline reports that the estate of Joseph Shuster, co-creator of Superman, has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics, claiming that the studios lack the rights to release Superman in several major territories, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.
The Shuster Estate vs James Gunn’s Superman
In 1938, Shuster and his collaborator, Jerry Siegel, sold the rights to Superman for a mere $130. The Shuster estate argues that, according to the copyright laws of countries with British legal traditions, the rights automatically reverted to them 25 years after Shuster’s death in 1992. This means that since 2017 (and 2021 in Canada), the estate claims ownership in these regions. Despite this, Warner Bros. has continued to use Superman in movies, TV shows, and merchandise without their permission.
If the Shuster estate wins their case, it could mean that James Gunn’s Superman—set to release in just a few months on July 11—might not hit theaters in these key countries. And as you might guess, these regions are significant markets for blockbuster films. But aside from that, the lawsuit could have broader implications for how the studio handles character rights, especially in international markets.
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Will Superman (2025) Be Delayed?
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. has responded, “We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit and will vigorously defend our rights.” Which basically means they’re not going down with a fight.
It has been a troubling week for Superman fans. First, Smallville‘s Tom Welling gets arrested for a DUI. Now, this.
For fans eagerly awaiting the new Superman film, this lawsuit could delay the release for a few months, if not longer. If Warner continues to release the film, fans from Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia might need to fly to the US in order to catch Krypto saving David Corenswet’s Superman.
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