(2011) Tags: Universal
MRC II DISTRIBUTION COMPANY LP v. Coelho
Curry v. Hundreds of Hats, Inc.
MRC II DISTRIBUTION COMPANY LP v. Coelho
This case arises from a contract between Plaintiffs’ predecessor in interest, Gorge Nolfi, and the Philip K. Dick Testamentary Trust, regarding the licensed use of Philip K. Dick’s Adjustment Team short story. The parties formed a contract on May 23, 2001, where Defendants granted Nolfi an 18-month option to acquire the rights to Adjustment Team for use in film and other media in exchange for an initial monetary advance. Nolfi and Defendants subsequently extended the option’s expiration date. On June 19, 2009, after acquiring the option from Nolfi, Plaintiffs exercised the option and paid the balance of the option-purchase price. To date, Plaintiffs have paid $1,612,500 to Defendants for rights to Adjustment Team. In March of 2011, Plaintiffs released the motion picture Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, based on Philip K. Dick’s Adjustment Team.
Plaintiffs contend they later discovered that Defendants falsely represented that: they owned all rights to Adjustment Team; and Adjustment Team remained copyrighted and had not entered the public domain in the U.S. or elsewhere. Plaintiffs argue that the U.S. Copyright for Adjustment Team expired in 1982 and was not renewed. This caused Adjustment Team to fall into the public domain, not just in the U.S., but in other jurisdictions abroad.
Judgment: Pursuant to a Settlement agreement, the case is Dismissed with prejudice; with each party bearing its own costs.
Curry v. Hundreds of Hats, Inc.
Plaintiff, an experienced background actress, seeks damages in connection with injuries sustained when she was struck by an ATVC camera truck during the filming of the movie, “The Adjustment Bureau.” Plaintiff sues George Nolfi, the director and producer of the movie, as well as various companies, including Hundreds of Hats, Inc., Gambit Productions, Inc. and Electric Shepherd Productions, that allegedly had a role in the production of the movie.