Warren Beatty Sued over Dick Tracy

[Coheteboy]

You know, I've ALWAYS been wondering what the heck was going on with the lack of love for Dick Tracy. This seems to explain part of the story. Kind of a bummer because Dick Tracy happens to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It deserves a special edition treatment at the very least.




Tribune sues Warren Beatty over Dick Tracy rights


Tribune sues Warren Beatty over Dick Tracy rights

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Tribune Media Services has filed a lawsuit against Academy-award winning director and actor Warren Beatty to recover motion-picture and television rights to iconic comic-strip character Dick Tracy, according to court documents.

In a Delaware court filing on Thursday, Tribune Media Services, a unit of bankrupt newspaper publisher Tribune, said Beatty "wrongly claims" to have exclusive motion picture and television rights to the well-known police detective character.

According to court papers, Beatty bought the motion picture and television rights for Dick Tracy in 1985 and went on to act and direct the 1990 film by the same name. The movie won three academy awards and its cast included Dustin Hoffman, Madonna and Al Pacino.

Tribune Co, however, said Beatty had "made no productive use" of the rights for over a decade, causing them to revert back to Tribune. The company said the economic benefits of the property was worth potentially millions to the company and its creditors.

Both parties have been engaged in a legal battle over the rights since late 2006, according to court documents.

In November, Beatty filed a suit against Tribune Media Services in California, claiming he had begun work on a Dick Tracy television special, which should preserve his rights to the character.

Tribune, in its suit, said that the TV special being produced solely for the purpose of preserving Beatty's rights would not benefit either party, and that it does not believe Beatty has begun shooting the special in the manner that would be required under their agreement.

A lawyer for Beatty was not immediately available.

Tribune filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December last year hurt by heavy debts and a decline in advertising.

The bankruptcy case is In re: Tribune Co, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, No. 08-13141. The California case is Warren Beatty v. Tribune Media Services Inc et al, No. 08-07662.

[Angie_Duke]

Dang this sucks. Sorta puts an end to my hopes of Tracy ever getting a real special edition with the director's cut version included.

[Gone2Disneyland]

Originally Posted by Angie_Duke

Dang this sucks. Sorta puts an end to my hopes of Tracy ever getting a real special edition with the director's cut version included.

I feel that same way. That's frustrating.

Originally Posted by Coheteboy

Kind of a bummer because Dick Tracy happens to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It deserves a special edition treatment at the very least.

I don't see why Dick Tracy should be a guilty pleasure. It ain't great, but it's good at what it is. But this story makes me wonder if The Rocketeer will ever receive the TLC it deserves as a future, re-mastered Special Edition for Blu-ray.

[aimster]

Gee, it took them almost 20 years to sue?

[Angie_Duke]

Tracy fans you check out youtube and mousebits to see/hear the Dick Tracy show that used to be at Disney-MGM Studios and Disneyland. Fun show.

[sailerm]

Tribune, should have sued opening night!

Tribune is only suing now because they are strapped for cash, and looking to make a quick buck.

Tracy is a guilty pleasure, and if memory serves Danny Elfman did the score, I would love to see Beatty suit up again.

[Coheteboy]

Danny Elfman did do the score and you can hear it on occasion playing in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. I'd love to see a second film but... Warren is quite old now.

[Angie_Duke]

Originally Posted by Coheteboy

Danny Elfman did do the score and you can hear it on occasion playing in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. I'd love to see a second film but... Warren is quite old now.

That didn't stop Harrison Ford from putting on a certain outfit again... but I'd rather not see a sequel either.

Danny did the score alright and it sounds and awful lot like his Batman music.

[Gone2Disneyland]

Originally Posted by Angie_Duke

Danny did the score alright and it sounds and awful lot like his Batman music.

I agree with this, it did sound very similar to his Batman score when I first heard it. I've since gotten over it, of course.

[Coheteboy]

Originally Posted by Angie_Duke

That didn't stop Harrison Ford from putting on a certain outfit again... but I'd rather not see a sequel either.

Indiana Jones is an original character where the creators are still alive to see it through.

Dick Tracy is a comic book and to tell a story of an aging detective would not be in its best interest.

[ALIASd]

Originally Posted by Coheteboy

You know, I've ALWAYS been wondering what the heck was going on with the lack of love for Dick Tracy. This seems to explain part of the story. Kind of a bummer because Dick Tracy happens to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It deserves a special edition treatment at the very least.

It was one of the top 10 moneymakers of its year (1 of Disney's 2 along w/ Touchstone's 'Pretty Woman'), was nominated for 7 Oscars and won three, and featured numerous Academy Award winners (Beatty, Pacino, Hoffman to name a few). Easily one of the most prestigous projects, Beatty getting Stephen Sondheim on board for example, to be brought to WDP.

Warren Beatty is notoriously methodical with projects, years and years worth of drafts, tests, lawsuits and table reads with dream casts, so hopefully eventually a very special edition could see daylight.

[SnorkletsMom]

I've always suspected one day I'd see that headline...just without "Tracy" in it.


/too much?

[sailerm]

Danny did the score alright and it sounds and awful lot like his Batman music.

Most of Elfman's score have a similar sound to them, Think Edward Siccorhands, Batman, Scrooged, but then he can surprise and pull a Midnight Run out of his hat.

[Angie_Duke]

Originally Posted by sailerm

Most of Elfman's score have a similar sound to them, Think Edward Siccorhands, Batman, Scrooged, but then he can surprise and pull a Midnight Run out of his hat.

This is true, he has a recognizable style for sure, but something about Tracy seems a bit too close at times to Batman. Still good though, I listen to it.

The songs? I like the when the standard Disney chorus sings them more than when Madonna does, but how many times to I have to listen to "More"?

[nathan detroit]

In the current climate of every obscure character being raked out of mothballs for a movie treatment and a revival, I can see why it would be seen that Dick Tracy has been ridiculously ignored. I am sure that the franchise had legs beyond the twenty-year-old movie (even without a direct sequel) and if the Tribune wins it may see the characters getting a better airing.