Disney loses lawsuit over copyright infringement in Beauty and the Beast remake
Disney loses lawsuit over copyright infringement in Beauty and the Beast remake – The hourly company must pay a significant sum of money.
By Megan Sauer
In a recent court ruling, Disney has been found guilty of infringing copyrights related to visual effects (VFX) in the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and now faces the obligation to pay approximately US $600,000 for said violation.
According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter (via Coming Soon ), a jury in Oakland ruled that Disney had infringed the copyright intellectual property known as MOVA Contour, which belonged to VFX company Rearden, during the production of Beauty and the Beast.
Beast in live action, released in 2017.
The litigation surrounding Beauty and the Beast centered on the ownership and licensing of the MOVA technology used in the film.
At the center of the dispute was whether DD3, the company with which Disney partnered in the production of Beauty and the Beast, possessed the technology that the main participants in the film attributed to its success.
A complicated chain of ownership titles, involving a bankruptcy and fraudulent sale, led to confusion over MOVA’s ownership and licensing.
The only claim at trial was whether Disney should be held vicariously liable for DD3’s alleged infringement of MOVA, meaning that it was aware that the company may not have properly licensed the technology but continued to use and profit from it. anyway.
Rearden, the VFX company, was seeking more than $100 million in compensation in the case, arguing that the box office success of Beauty and the Beast was largely due to copyrighted technology that was used improperly. authorizations.
In total, Beauty and the Beast grossed approximately US$1.266 million at the global box office by the time it completed its theatrical run.
The fact that the jury determined that Disney must pay US$600,000 suggests that there is no significant correlation between the visual effects and the film’s box office figures.
According to The Hollywood Reporter article , of the $255 million in profits Disney made from the film, only approximately $345,000 was attributed to the use of MOVA technology.
So far, neither Disney nor Rearden have responded to The Hollywood Reporter’s requests for comment.
However, more lawsuits are expected to be filed regarding the use of MOVA Contour technology in Disney films, such as Avengers: Infinity War from 2018 and Avengers: Endgame from 2019.
They used said technology after Disney became aware of the copyright infringement. The legal battle could be far from over for the entertainment giant.
This case highlights the importance of intellectual property in the entertainment industry and highlights the need for film companies and studios to respect copyright and proper licensing when using copyrighted technologies and content in their productions.
Disney’s remake of Beauty and the Beast, despite the legal controversy surrounding the visual effects, achieved great success at the box office and resonated with the general public.
It maintained the essence and magic of the original 1991 animated film, offering a talented cast and stunning visuals.
Although some critics argued that it lacked the freshness of the original animated film, its box office success and positive audience response suggest that it achieved its goal of bringing the classic story to a new generation of viewers.
