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Fox, Warner spar over 'Watchmen' film

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. film studios Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros. are battling in court over the release of the superhero movie "Watchmen," company officials say.

Fox has filed suit in federal court in Los Angeles to block Warners' release of the movie, which was set for a March 6 roll-out by Warner, the BBC reported Tuesday. The issue is copyright infringement. Fox says it obtained copyrights in the 1980s to a series of graphic novels written by Alan Moore on which the movie is based.

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"We respectfully disagree with Fox's position and do not believe they have any rights," a Warner spokesman told reporters, while a Fox spokesman said the media company "will be asking the court to enforce our copyright interests."

The BBC said the movie stars Patrick Wilson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and is directed by Zack Snyder, who made the hit "300," adding that U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess previously ruled that Fox could hold at least some of the rights to the material.

Warner spokesman Scott Rowe said of Feess's ruling: "The judge did not opine at all on the merits, other than to conclude that Fox satisfied the pending requirements."

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