Super Ruling

Superman now belongs, once again, in part, to the heirs of Jerome Seigel, one of the original creators of Superman. A California federal judge ruled that the heirs' copyright termination notice sent in 1999 was valid and that DC Comics/Time Warner had to account for profits from Superman post-1999. Provided this survives the requisite appeal, this could put in jeapordy the next two Superman films - the Bryan Singer sequel to Superman Returns as well as the Justice League of America franchise - and all the animated series and comic books. Jerome Schuster's estate can launch a similar lawsuit in 2013. The two estates previously once a similar case for the Superboy character, but have failed to prove that Superboy happens to be the same Clark Kent in the TV show Smallville (the case is currently still in dispute). The Superman copyright expires in 2033, unless Congress extends the life of a copyright once again.