A ruling has come down regarding the lawsuit that would have potentially blocked James Gunn’s Superman from being released internationally. 2025 kicked off with the estate of Superman creator Joseph Schuster suing Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Entertainment/DC Comics. The lawsuit would have kept fans overseas from seeing Superman in theaters. The lawsuit dealt with foreign copyright laws and rights reverting back to the Man of Steel’s creator. Superman comes out in theaters this summer, so the clock has been ticking on a resolution. It looks like that time has come, and the verdict is in favor of Warner Bros.
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According to Bloomberg Law, Judge Jesse M. Furman dismissed the lawsuit from Plaintiff Mark Warren Peary against Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Entertainment/DC Comics. Peary is the executor of the Superman estate and the nephew of the late Joseph Schuster. His request for a preliminary injunction to block Superman’s July 11th release was denied. The order was issued in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Judge Furman’s ruling cited “lack of jurisdiction over the case.” Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Entertainment have not commented on the ruling at the time of this writing.
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“We fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit, and will vigorously defend our rights,” a Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson said in response to the lawsuit when it first came to light.
The Superman lawsuit would have kept the film from being seen in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. When it comes to releasing big, blockbuster movies worldwide, the more territories that can see it, the better. The loss of those four territories would have hampered Superman‘s overall box office. The movie is the first feature film in the new DC Universe, so Warner Bros. wouldn’t have looked kindly on it getting off to a rocky start.
The last update to the lawsuit was in March, with Warner Bros. and DC Comics moving to have it dismissed. The parties were “arguing the issue has already been exhaustively litigated,” pointing to numerous instances of the courts rebuffing Peary in the past. Records show that Peary’s mother “signed away all rights to the Superman character” following Shuster’s passing.
Superman Day was celebrated with a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming film. The Superman featurette showed the cast and crew of the film diving deep into the making of the movie. Fans got to see the incredible set pieces and costumes that will be shown throughout Superman. The only thing left to do is wait for potentially another Superman trailer and then for July to hurry up and come.
There’s been plenty of marketing for Superman, with DC announcing comic book covers inspired by the David Corenswet film, the aforementioned Superman Day putting a spotlight on the movie, and a countless slew of TV spots across Warner Bros. networks like TNT and TBS, and on Max.
Superman flies into theaters on July 11th.
