TRO Succession Wars and Harmony Gold

[monbvol]

Point of order: that isn't automatically true. The majority of settlements admit no fault on either side. You can consider one side or the other to be the 'winner' if you like based on the terms of the agreement, but I doubt that FASA admitted fault in the agreement.

On another note, it looks like we won't get to see many of the more interesting documents that may be part of this case. HG filed for, and was granted, an order to allow the parties to keep confidential business information off the public docket. It's a pretty standard thing to ask for and totally reasonable so I'm not surprised. It's likely that the majority of the stuff that could come out in discovery will be confidential business information, so it looks like we won't all get to see that original license agreement HG has.

If the end result is that FASA couldn't use the Macross art anymore the end result is the same and Harmony Gold can and is pointing to the signed document saying that they have a legally binding agreement where FASA and Jordan agreed to not use the Macross art and recognize Harmony Gold's rights.

TCI's agreement with FASA may be of historical interest, but has no bearing on this current case. Once HG and FASA settled, that matter was decided. The motivations of the people and companies involved in the prior case are irrelevant.

And that's what I've been trying to say.  When that document was signed FASA gave up their case and recognized Harmony Gold's claim.

We might be talking at cross purposes here ;) -- all I was getting at is that I believe the Sony buys FUNimation announcement is probably coincidental and completely unconnected to the current legal case excepting only as far as FUNimation once had a business deal to distribute Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles... I wasn't saying anything about any theoretical designs that Sony may or may not have on Tatsunoko, Big West, Studio Nue or anyone else.

Though you're right, even as a coincidence, it doesn't hurt to have other irons in the fire... and any of those properties HAS to be better than The Emoji Movie ;D

*nod*

I too think it is less of a move to get better access to the Macross rights but the timing sure does suggest that at least somewhere in a Sony meeting they were considering the possibility that Harmony Gold might lose this case hard as PGI has made the claim that Harmony Gold doesn't actually have the rights and a back up plan might be in order.  Since this move does give them other IPs and even a possible alternate avenue to shore up the Macross rights it seems to be the best of both worlds from Sony's perspective.

Hell thinking about it it does seem a pretty win-win move for Sony.  Harmony Gold wins and their control of FUNimation means they can get a piece of the Macross/Robotech pie through FUNimation and their planned live action movie.  Harmony Gold loses and they get other IPs and a possible way to still end up with the Macross/Robotech rights.

[ColBosch]

Looking over Sony's last few films makes me think that their movie division has no idea what they're doing with their licenses. They're throwing handfuls of crap at the wall and seeing what sticks. I'm sure they merely bought FUNimation in their ongoing quest to make All The Money, like every other big entertainment company.

Harmony Gold may think the Sony deal is a important, but Sony likely regards HG as basically nothing. They've got the Robotech movie rights, and that's all they wanted.

[monbvol]

Yeah I doubt Sony actually gives a crap about this case but they can't be completely unaware of it either.  Only really the timing makes me wonder if Sony is hedging their bets by increasing ownership of FUNimation because as I said it seems a win-win for Sony to do so.

[Pat Payne]

Since this move does give them other IPs and even a possible alternate avenue to shore up the Macross rights it seems to be the best of both worlds from Sony's perspective.

Hell thinking about it it does seem a pretty win-win move for Sony.  Harmony Gold wins and their control of FUNimation means they can get a piece of the Macross/Robotech pie through FUNimation and their planned live action movie.  Harmony Gold loses and they get other IPs and a possible way to still end up with the Macross/Robotech rights.

I'm sorry... maybe I'm just being dense (or not paying attention enough), but I'm not seeing the path to the Macross/Robotech rights through FUNimation. AFAIK, The sole interest that FUNimation has in Robotech is the distribution rights to The Shadow Chronicles movie, and even that IIRC, lapsed when the other side walked away from the agreement later on. Again AFAIK, they have zero other interest in the property stemming from either side of the Pacific (I don't recall them releasing Macross Plus or Macross II, and ADV released the three original series). To say that Sony could get rights to Macross, Southern Cross and Mosepeada (and/or Robotech) through buying Funimation seems to my mind like me trying to get the rights to the design patent for the Ford Mustang if I were to buy Hertz Rent-a-Car.

[ColBosch]

I'm sorry... maybe I'm just being dense (or not paying attention enough), but I'm not seeing the path to the Macross/Robotech rights through FUNimation. AFAIK, The sole interest that FUNimation has in Robotech is the distribution rights to The Shadow Chronicles movie, and even that IIRC, lapsed when the other side walked away from the agreement later on. Again AFAIK, they have zero other interest in the property stemming from either side of the Pacific (I don't recall them releasing Macross Plus or Macross II, and ADV released the three original series). To say that Sony could get rights to Macross, Southern Cross and Mosepeada (and/or Robotech) through buying Funimation seems to my mind like me trying to get the rights to the design patent for the Ford Mustang if I were to buy Hertz Rent-a-Car.

Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. The FUNimation acquisition also appears to be irrelevant here.

[monbvol]

IF PGI does convince the judge and jury that Harmony Gold doesn't have the rights to Macross that they claim then FUNimation gives Sony a possible option of negotiating with those who do with as an existing anime distributer.

If Harmony Gold does retain the rights then Sony can use FUNimation and their live action movie deal to make future deals to distribute Macross/Robotech.

Or most likely scenario Sony is just looking to acquire more IPs.

So using the analogy above reworked for what I'm trying to say is more like Sony bought Enterprise Rent a Car because Hertz may lose their deal to stock Ford Mustangs and Enterprise gives them another option to stock Ford Mustangs.

For I do admit the last scenario is probably the most likely.

[Maingunnery]

IF PGI does convince the judge and jury that Harmony Gold doesn't have the rights to Macross that they claim then FUNimation gives Sony a possible option of negotiating with those who do with as an existing anime distributer.

Actually that won't happen. The Macross creators don't want to do anything with companies that work with HG. Very bad blood there.

[monbvol]

I'm not sure if FUNimation has that guilt by association though. Or even Sony  I could easily be wrong about that though.

But in thinking about it Harmony Gold clearly does not actually own Macross.  Their contract clearly allows them to distribute Macross and they chose to do so by fiddling with it to make Robotech.  As such there could be some interesting implications from this case if it does go to trial.

[Wrangler]

Sony has better chance getting the right than HG. Their Japanese company to begin with.

[Robroy]

Sony has better chance getting the right than HG. Their Japanese company to begin with.

Which only matters if they do a live action Macross. For Robotech they need the rights from HG.

[Wrangler]

Which only matters if they do a live action Macross. For Robotech they need the rights from HG.

Given it enough time.  Alot properties in Japan's anime world have been routinely been made into live-action. Given how Macross franchise has been handled late, seeing one of it's various series turned to live-action won't terribly surprise me much.

[pheonixstorm]

Which only matters if they do a live action Macross. For Robotech they need the rights from HG.

The only rights for Robotech would be a vague story. Most of the Macross arc of Robotech follows the Macross story. Beyond that about the only thing HG really own is the Title of Robotech.

[Pat Payne]

Given it enough time.  Alot properties in Japan's anime world have been routinely been made into live-action. Given how Macross franchise has been handled late, seeing one of it's various series turned to live-action won't terribly surprise me much.

Apparently, Kawamori did actually try to do a American-based live-action adaptation of Macross in 1992. It went nowhere, whether this was because of that company threatening legal action, other externals, or Kawamori losing interest in direct sequels to SDF Macross (as this was about the time he started working heavily on Escaflowne, and at any rate soon after when he was given a wheelbarrow full of money and begged to do a Macross sequel, he stipulated that he would not revisit Hikaru, Misa and Minmay according to rumor). My guess is probably a mix.

[SteelRaven]

Or most likely scenario Sony is just looking to acquire more IPs.

This is more likely. I very much doubt the mega-corporation Sony is going through allot of trouble just for a Robotech movie, Sony Pictures has a very extensive list of movie projects as is. Any interest Sony has in Robotech is most likely tied to Hollywood still mining the Nostalgia market hard (the new Jumanji, only now it's a cursed Atari game or something)

[monbvol]

*nod*

The whole mine old IPs for new movies schtick going on in Hollywood is the only reason I think something might actually come out for Macross/Robotech.

And as I've said there really seems to be no reason for Sony not to make the move.  Only the timing makes me think some small part of it was to have a plan B-Z.

[SteelRaven]

Movie die in pre-production all the time (Forbidden Planet was the only remake I was actually looking forward to) not that it has anything to do with HG's insane logic.

[pheonixstorm]

Makes one wonder if they would do a remake of Robot Jox or Zardoz }:)

Speaking of Zardoz.. There is a theater in Atlanta that has/had it showing as well as Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[monbvol]

Considering how many IPs have already been raided, even ones that never had that big a following, it isn't impossible that Macross will get a live action movie sooner rather than later.

Can't be any worse than Bayformers.

Though more seriously I do have zero doubt that Sony's current effort is nothing but a squat on the IP vaporware production.

[SteelRaven]

Can't be any worse than Bayformers.

That's setting the bar pretty low... honestly, that's not a standard anyone should live by.

[ANS Kamas P81]

Makes one wonder if they would do a remake of Robot Jox or Zardoz }:)

A Mule-class hovering over the plains, spewing Stingers from its guts.  "But the Battlemech shoots Death and purifies the Earth of the filth of Brutals. Go forth, and kill!"

I mean seriously.

...Well hell, there goes my avatar.

[SCC]

That's setting the bar pretty low... honestly, that's not a standard anyone should live by.

And he's assuming that Bay won't end up making it.

[pheonixstorm]

...Well hell, there goes my avatar.

Glad I could ruin someones day lol >:D

I read once that Zardoz was the one movie Sean Connery regrets being in. It was pretty horrible it a train wreck watching kinda way :P :o

[Tymers Realm]

A Mule-class hovering over the plains, spewing Stingers from its guts.  "But the Battlemech shoots Death and purifies the Earth of the filth of Brutals. Go forth, and kill!"

Oh that just made my morning.
Thank you...

I read once that Zardoz was the one movie Sean Connery regrets being in. It was pretty horrible it a train wreck watching kinda way :P :o

Gawd, I haven't watched Zardoz in years. But that film is a real guilty pleasure of mine.

[Peter Smith]

Or most likely scenario Sony is just looking to acquire more IPs.

Buying FUNimation is not the path to IP acquisition. Sony Pictures Television, the division that made the actual acquisition of FUNimation, is a massive player in the television distribution market, owing to decades of mergers and acquisitions. Here's a list of what they are involved with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sony_Pictures_Television_series

[monbvol]

And he's assuming that Bay won't end up making it.

Seems unlikely that he'd get involved.  I'm struggling to think of any movies he has done that were Sony.  Most everything I can think of has been Paramount.  Not saying he can't or hasn't worked for Sony though.

Buying FUNimation is not the path to IP acquisition. Sony Pictures Television, the division that made the actual acquisition of FUNimation, is a massive player in the television distribution market, owing to decades of mergers and acquisitions. Here's a list of what they are involved with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sony_Pictures_Television_series

Yeah I probably could have phrased it better that they are not trying to own IPs but this move certainly gives them more access to existing licensing deals and a platform that can help them get access to more and make them more money in the end.

[Pat Payne]

And he's assuming that Bay won't end up making it.

Bay isn't the worst person to helm a Robotech (or Battletech, for that matter) film. That would be The Director That Shall Not Be Named  >:D. Now, don't get me wrong, Bay would be far, far from the best director they could get...

I read once that Zardoz was the one movie Sean Connery regrets being in. It was pretty horrible it a train wreck watching kinda way :P :o

Well, Sean Connery wanted a film that would be the furthest thing he could find from James Bond. He got his wish ;D

[ColBosch]

What does any of that have to do with this lawsuit? Please take movie discussion to a different thread.

[abou]

Any word on CGL's lawyer situation?

[ColBosch]

Any word on CGL's lawyer situation?

They have a lawyer. When there is something to report, I will make sure we all know about it.

[wolfspider]

I am going to throw in my 2 cents for what its worth, I have followed this issue for many years with a passion, I want our mechs back in the universe and I think if Catalyst and the other parties involved stand up to Harmony Gold they can win this issue. Now is the time to stand up to the high school bully and punch him in the nose.
Battletech has the potential to be a money maker if you want to fight for it! And we are talking about quit your day job type of potential money maker status!  ;)