When one thought that Dick Tracy had hung up his badge for good, the yellow-cloaked detective is now in the news again with a possible TV deal as well as a lawsuit.
Dick Tracy comicstrip owners Tribune Co. have struck a deal with Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Outlaw Prods. Partners Bobby Newmyer and Scott Strauss to bring DICK TRACY to the small screen, reports VARIETY.
However, this deal flies in the face of Warren Beatty's lawsuit, which was filed in L.A. Superior Court seeking damages against Tribune and a declaration that Beatty owns the Tracy rights.
However, it seems the producers will set out like they own the rights, having started the search for a writer who will take a contemporary twist of the classic character.
The suit hinges on the details of the 1985 rights reversion deal that gave Beatty film, television and other rights to DICK TRACY. However, last year, Tribune claims it met the conditions to get the rights back, but Beatty contests that claim.
In making the 1990 DICK TRACY film with Disney, Beatty transferred most of his rights to Disney but kept the right to produce a project if Tribune sent out a forfeiture notice. The suit states that in 2002 Tribune requested Disney informally to relinquish its rights in 2002 and that in 2004 Tribune unilaterally claimed the rights without giving Beatty notice. This year, Disney reassigned most of its rights to Beatty, who plans to make a second TRACY film along with other projects.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
