Universal

Upasana Singh was all praise for Harnaaz Sandhu when she won Miss Universe. The actress had revealed that she was living with her before leaving for Israel. She had said that she is very happy that the one who brought laurels to our country is a part of her film. For the uninitiated, Harnaaz had made her acting debut opposite Upasana's son Nanak. The film Bai Ji Kuttange is produced by Upasana. The report revealed that the case has been filed in Chandigarh court through advocates Karan Sachdeva and Irvan Neet Kaur. In the suit, Upasana alleged that Harnaaz entered into an agreement with Santosh Entertainment Studio LLP being run by her to produce a Punjabi feature film Bai Ji Kuttange after winning Femina Miss India. She had signed Harnaaz as a lead actress. As per the agreement, it was clearly mentioned that the actress will be fully committed to the promotional activities of the film both by being present in-person during the events as well as virtually. … [Read more...] about Upasana Files Case Against Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu; Says She Thinks She’s Meant For Hollywood Projects

EXCLUSIVE : It looks like everyone is shaken but not too stirred after all. Today, MGM and James Bond producer Danjaq filed for a dismissal of their copyright infringement lawsuit against Universal over the latter’s Section 6 project ( read the filing here ). The legal action against screenwriter Aaron Berg over the World War 1 spy project is also “dismissed without prejudice,” said the paperwork submitted in federal court Wednesday. With the discovery process just ended, the case was set to go to trial on February 16, 2016. “The Parties have resolved the matter to their satisfaction,”Aaron Moss of Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP told me today. Moss, Bert Fields, and Daniel Stone of the heavyweight firm represented Universal and Berg in the action. At least for now, this brings an end to a potential legal saga that started back in April last year . In the original complaint, MGM and Danjag accused Universal of putting together a “ James Bond … [Read more...] about MGM & James Bond Producer End Copyright Lawsuit Against Universal

In a move that comes as about as much as a surprise as James Bond liking his martini shaken not stirred, Universal today responded to the multi-claim Section 6 lawsuit from MGM and Bond producer Danjaq with a request that the federal court throw out the “threadbare allegations about hypothetical future infringement in works yet to be produced.” In fact, Universal accuses MGM and Danjaq of using the possibility of their Aaron Berg -written WWI-themed pic about the formation of the UK’s MI6 as a pretense for larger aims. “In an effort to claim an unfounded monopoly on the British spy genre, and to scare away Universal and any other would-be competitors to James Bond , Plaintiffs rushed to file this needless action,” notes today’s filing ( read it here ). Berg himself has also filed a heavily redacted motion for dismissal (read it here ) for his “undeniably original creative work.” This latest move from entertainment legal mastermind Bert Fields and … [Read more...] about Universal Wants “Needless” Bond Copyright Suit From MGM & 007 Producer Tossed

The Comcast-owned heavyweight may have lost round one of the studio Bond battle with MGM and 007 producer Danjaq , but they were firing from the legal trenches today. “Plaintiffs’ lawsuit is the desperate attempt of a rival studio to misuse its copyrights in order to kill a competitor’s project before it even gets off the ground,” said the answer Tuesday by Universal to the copyright infringement lawsuit from the duo that was first filed by MGM and Danjaq back on April 3 . Universal’s attempt to have the matter dismissed in late May was rejected by federal Judge James Otero in late September. “The similarities are sufficient to give rise to a claim for copyright infringement,” said Judge Otero in his recently released but heavily redacted decision. Today’s filing is another attempt to kick that can – from another angle so to speak. In their filing this spring, MGM and Danjaq claimed that Universal’s Section 6 project was a “ James Bond knockoff.” They … [Read more...] about Universal Hits Back At “Desperate” James Bond Lawsuit From MGM & 007 Producers

The legal battle over whether production company Sweetpea Entertainment or toy giant Hasbro owns sequel rights to Dungeons & Dragons came has come to an end — at least for now. But the seven-day trial that wrapped late Tuesday in federal court in downtown LA did not end quietly. “Hasbro cannot have it both ways,” attorney Patricia Glaser said in her closing statement, calling out the company for disputing a 2010 D&D movie sequel but not a 2005 one and dragging her client, Sweetpea and its owner Courtney Solomon, into court. Noting the “tentpole opportunity” the production company has with Warner Bros , Glaser added, “only Sweetpea, not Hasbro, has the right to make a movie with Dungeons & Dragons as its primary title.” Of course Hasbro sees it differently, which is why they rolled the dice with its initial complaint last May . “Hasbro has a right to begin to make movies of its own based on the property,” said lawyer Jeremy Goldman in his closing before … [Read more...] about ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Trial Ends; Will Warner Bros Or Universal Cast Magic Sequel Spell?

The same day the case over who owns sequel rights to Dungeons & Dragons wrapped, the case over the alleged “ James Bond knockoff” received the go-ahead to continue. In a sealed order, a federal judge is denying the motion by Universal to toss the multi-claim copyright infringement Section 6 lawsuit from MGM and Bond producer Danjaq . The order, from Judge James Otero, was dated September 23 but filed on Wednesday. A July 28 hearing on the matter was vacated later that month by the court, and Otero made his decision based on the materials of the case so far. In their late May motion to dismiss the action, the Comcast-owned studio said MGM and Danjaq’s case was based on “threadbare allegations about hypothetical future infringement in works yet to be produced.” Otero obviously disagreed. We’ll know why when his order is unsealed. MGM and Danjaq’s initial April 3 complaint cited what they say are the remarkable similarities between their man with a … [Read more...] about Universal Loses Bid To Toss James Bond Copyright Suit From MGM & 007 Producer

Turns out there’s not enough room in Hollywood for two British agents with a license to kill. Aiming for a clean shot, MGM and James Bond producer Danjaq earlier this week went after Universal in federal court over the latter’s Section 6 project. Calling the WW1-set Aaron Berg-scripted pic a “James Bond knockoff” the plaintiffs want unspecified damage and they want  the court to declare an injunction shutting down the Universal property that Joe Cornish was recently brought on board to helm. “This lawsuit concerns a motion picture project, in active development, featuring a daring, tuxedo-clad British secret agent, employed by ‘His Majesty’s Secret Service,’ with a ‘license to kill,’ and a 00 secret agent number on a mission to save England from the diabolical plot of a megalomanical villain,” the heavily censored April 3 filing says ( read it here ). “Most moviegoers would assume from that description alone that this lawsuit concerns the next James Bond picture. It … [Read more...] about Universal Slapped With ‘Section 6’ Lawsuit By MGM & James Bond Producer

TMZ may collect a share of sales or other compensation from links on this page. A chance to see Adam Levine crooning in an intimate concert setting should NEVER be passed up ... and we are giving you the opportunity with this sweet-as-sugar deal. This Maroon 5 Intimate Concert Show Night Pass for the event on August 26, 2022 can be yours for only $445 (Reg. $495), saving you $50 and a ton more in fees charged by other platforms. If you're a fan of Adam and the boys, you have to snatch up this TMZ-exclusive deal now ... because it's not going to last very long! Music After Dark was created and is produced by EBG Presents, which has been bringing together some of the world's biggest names and their biggest fans for years. The Show Night Pass for Maroon 5 provides single-night access to the Music After Dark main event AND extended after-dark access to select attractions at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. The private night access to Universal Studios … [Read more...] about You Don’t Want to Miss This Concert Experience at Universal Studios FL

Universal has announced that Lupin ‘s Omar Sy will lead John Woo ’s reimagining of his 1989 crime drama The Killer for Peacock . The original film written and directed by Woo watches as the disillusioned assassin Ah Jong (Chow Yun-fat) accepts one last hit, in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to the singer (Sally Yeh) he accidentally blinded. Details as to the reimagining’s plot have not been disclosed. But Woo returns to direct the pic announced earlier this year as one of three Universal originals set to debut on Peacock in 2023. He will also produce alongside his longtime associate Lori Tilkin, with whom he developed the project. The screenplay was written by writing partners Matthew Stuecken and Josh Campbell ( 10 Cloverfield Lane ), as well as Eran Creevy ( Welcome to the Punch , Collide ) and Brian Helgeland ( 42 , Legend ). Universal Pictures’ Senior Vice President of Production Development Sara Scott and Creative Development … [Read more...] about ‘Lupin’s Omar Sy To Lead John Woo’s Reimagining Of ‘The Killer’ For Peacock

China has set an August 19 release date for Universal / Illumination ’s Minions: The Rise Of Gru . This will be the first major tentpole from Hollywood to hit the market since Universal’s own Jurassic World Dominion which has grossed $157.4M there through Sunday and during an extended nine-week run; it is the biggest studio import of 2022. The Universal Pictures Weibo account today posted the date for Rise Of Gru writing in part, “Long time no see, troublemakers! Get on the scooter, we’re back!” The Maoyan ticketing platform and the Douban reviews site are also carrying the date. (Check out the full-size China poster below.) The market’s box office was severely impacted earlier this year amid Covid spikes that forced lockdowns and restrictions, with Shanghai and Beijing hit hard. Dominion ‘s dinosaurs helped shake things up, and lately, local Chinese movies have seen a resurgence, including holdover sci-fi comedy Moon Man which grossed RMB 2B ($296M) … [Read more...] about ‘Minions: The Rise Of Gru’ Secures China Release Date