This July marks the highly anticipated return of Superman, one of the most iconic and beloved fictional characters to the big screen. The new film not only signals a fresh chapter for Superman but also revitalizes the entire DC cinematic universe, with David Corenswet taking on the mantle and renowned filmmaker James Gunn directing. However, just ahead of its release, copyright issues have threatened to delay the Caped Crusader’s latest flight.
2025 Lawsuit
In January 2025, the estate of Joseph Shuster, co-creator of Superman, filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics. The lawsuit alleged the unauthorized use of Superman in various international markets, including the UK, Canada, Ireland, and Australia. According to the estate, under relevant copyright laws, Shuster’s rights reverted to his heirs 25 years after his 1992 death, giving them control over the character in those regions. The lawsuit demanded damages and an injunction to stop further unauthorized use.
In April 2025, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman dismissed the lawsuit, citing a lack of jurisdiction over foreign copyright laws. Undeterred, the Shuster estate refiled the lawsuit in New York state court. The outcome remains uncertain, with a court hearing scheduled for June 4, 2025, which will determine the status of the requested injunction.
A History of Copyright Disputes
Superman’s legal history is one of the most prominent examples of copyright conflict in pop culture. Co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster sold the rights to Detective Comics in 1938 for just $130. They first sued the publisher in 1947, failing to reclaim Superman but settling for partial rights to Superboy.
In 1969, after the merger of Warner Bros. and DC Comics, Siegel and Shuster pursued another lawsuit regarding copyright renewal under the 1909 Copyright Act. The Second Circuit Court ruled that the publisher retained rights based on the 1948 agreement, again blocking the creators’ ownership claims.
By 1975, with the Superman film starring Christopher Reeve in development, public sympathy surged. Warner Bros. responded by granting Siegel and Shuster lifetime pensions, medical benefits, and creator credits. In return, both reaffirmed DC Comics’ ownership, including all renewals and extensions.
After Shuster passed away in 1992 and Siegel in 1996, their heirs entered into agreements with DC Comics. These agreements included annual payments in exchange for not challenging Superman’s rights. However, legal disputes later arose over the validity of these deals. While Siegel’s heirs disputed the 2001 agreement, DC Comics contested Shuster’s heirs’ rights based on posthumous contracts.
The dispute reached its peak in 2013 before the Ninth Circuit. The court concluded that Siegel’s heirs had relinquished their rights via the 2001 agreement, and Shuster’s heirs were barred from asserting termination rights under Section 304(d) due to a binding 1992 agreement. This effectively cemented DC Comics’ ownership of Superman.
Conclusion
The future of the 2025 Superman film remains uncertain amid the ongoing copyright litigation. What’s clear, however, is that the battle for Superman’s rights—originating from a $130 deal—has become one of the most complex and expensive copyright disputes in history.
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Written and Reviewed by Nabil Argya
