Disney Hit With Guardians Of The Galaxy & Avengers Lawsuit

Disney has found itself in some legal trouble over the special effects used for Marvel Studios films Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, as well as Beauty and the Beast.

Visual effects company Rearden claims that its MOVA Countour Reality Capture technology was stolen and that Disney then contracted the perpetrators in order to use the technology. Rearden claims the acts came after Disney had signed Rearden to use the tech in four additional movies.

“[I]n all of the film industry and media accolades about the record-breaking success of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ and the acclaimed cutting-edge digital MOVA Contour technology that made the film’s success possible, nowhere is it mentioned that the patented and copyright-protected MOVA Contour technology was stolen from its inventor and developer, Rearden LLC, and its owner Rearden Mova LLC,” the suit reads. “Nowhere is it mentioned that although Disney had previously contracted with Rearden LLC and its controlled entities on four previous major motion pictures to use MOVA Contour and knew of a Rearden Demand Letter to one of the thieves demanding immediate return of the stolen MOVA Contour system, Disney nonetheless contracted with the thieves to use the stolen MOVA Contour system.”

“Disney used the stolen MOVA Contour systems and methods, made derivative works, and reproduced, distributed, performed, and displayed at least ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and’ Beauty and the Beast,’ in knowing or willfully blind violation of Rearden MovaLLC’s intellectual property rights,” the suit continues.

The suit seeks damages for copyright, patent, and trademark infringement. In addition, the suit is seeking an injunction to prohibit Disney from “reproducing, distributing, performing or displaying, or authorizing the same, the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ motion pictures in any medium without authorization of Plaintiffs.”

Guardians of the Galaxy was released in 2014 and became a surprise hit for Marvel Studios, earning $333.2 million domestically and $773.3 worldwide. The sequel released earlier this year.

Avengers: Age of Ultron was released in 2015 and is one of the highest-grossing comic book movies of all time, earning $459 million domestically and $1.4 billion worldwide.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers will come together on screen for the first time in the film Avengers: Infinity War. The film will open in theaters May 4, 2018.

Source: The Wrap

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