Hollywood Docket: 'Terminator' for sale; media shield law; Polanski's bail
Mon Nov 02, 2009 @ 10:38AM PSTEntertainment law news this morning:
- The rights to the Terminator film franchise will be auctioned off this month by Halcyon. Up for grabs is the ability to make new Terminator films, TV shows, and other spin-offs from the franchise. The auction may also signal a potential trend after rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were sold for $60 million and several other production companies are reported to be exploring similar IP sales of franchise rights.
- A formal announcement concerning Comcast's purchase of control of NBC Universal could come next week. The NY Times reports that a tentative agreement between Comcast and General Electric has already been reached, and the main issue to be worked out is how to satisfy NBC's other stakeholder, Vivendi.
- After making a deal with the Obama administration concerning national security interests, the Senate Judicial Committee is preparing to tackle a new media shield bill covering a reporter's rights to protect confidential sources.
- Lil Wayne is facing enough trouble with a possible jail sentence for weapons charges. Now he's been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit from a Florida man whose voice allegedly appeared on one of the rapper's songs.
- Roman Polanski's latest bail offer to Swiss authorities is reported to include a "very, very significant" amount of cash.