Joseph Shuster’s Estate Sues Warner Bros. Over Superman Film’s Copyright

February 2, 2025: The estate of Joseph Shuster, the co-creator of Superman, has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DC Comics, challenging the studio’s rights to release the upcoming Superman movie in certain territories. The lawsuit was filed by Mark Warren Peary, the executor of Shuster’s estate, in a New York federal court earlier this week.

The case targets the distribution of Superman content in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, alleging that Shuster’s foreign copyright rights to the character reverted to his estate years ago. Shuster, who passed away in 1992, saw his copyright revert to his estate 25 years after his death, as per copyright laws in these countries. As a result, the lawsuit claims the estate regained the rights in 2017 for the UK and Ireland, and in 2021 for Canada.

WBD responded by stating that they “fundamentally disagree with the merits of the lawsuit” and would vigorously defend their rights.

The highly anticipated Superman movie, directed by James Gunn, is set to release on July 11, 2025. It stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Maria Gabriela de Faria as The Engineer. The movie’s teaser released earlier in January showcased exciting new footage, including a fight scene and a fresh look at the character of Lex Luthor.