James Gunn’s Superman is in the clear, as a federal judge sided with DC and Warner Bros. and dismissed the lawsuit from the Shuster estate, filed by Mark Warren Peary, that aimed to block the upcoming release of the movie in several countries.
Update: The lawsuit has been refiled in a New York state court.
Judge Dismisses Superman Lawsuit
Via Bloomberg, On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction over the case, leading to its dismissal.
Consequently, Peary’s request to block the July 11 release of Superman was denied as moot — meaning it was irrelevant since the lawsuit was dismissed and the court didn’t need to consider it.
Why the Shuster Estate Sued
The lawsuit argued that under the copyright laws of countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, the rights to the Superman character reverted to Shuster’s estate 25 years after his death in 1992.
The complaint sought to block the release of James Gunn’s Superman film scheduled for July 11, 2025, in these foreign markets, asserting claims of copyright infringement under the respective national laws and requesting declaratory relief.
However, Judge Furman determined that the U.S. court did not have the authority to decide legal disputes based on foreign copyright laws.
Joe Shuster was a Canadian-American comic book artist best known as the co-creator of Superman, alongside writer Jerry Siegel. The two introduced Superman in Action Comics #1 in 1938. Shuster died in 1992, and his estate has continued to be involved in legal efforts to reclaim rights related to Superman.
