"Ghost Rider" comic book creator Gary Friedrich has sued Marvel Enterprises, Sony Pictures Entertainment and several entities over claims of an unauthorized "joint venture and conspiracy to exploit, profit from and utilize" his copyrights to the comic book character.Friedrich and his company filed the 61-page complaint April 4 in federal court in Illinois claiming 21 violations based on the production and marketing of Sony's "Ghost Rider" starring actors Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes.
Friedrich claims the copyrights used in the film and in related products reverted from Marvel to him in 2001.
The defendants include Sony's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, producers Relativity Media, Crystal Sky Pictures and Michael De Luca Prods. as well as Hasbro Inc. and Take-Two Interactive.
Friedrich alleges copyright infringement, and accuses Marvel of 'waste' for failing "to properly utilize and capitalize" on the Ghost Rider character.According to reports, Friedrich created the character of 'Johnny Blaze' and his alter ego 'Ghost Rider' in 1968. Three years later, he agreed to publish the character in comic books through Stan Lee's Magazine Management, which eventually became Marvel Entertainment.
Under the agreement, Magazine Management became holder of the copyright for the first issue, which explains the origin story of Ghost Rider. Lee's company also held the copyrights to subsequent Ghost Rider works. Apparently Magazine Management allegedly never registered the work with the Copyright Office and, pursuant to federal law, Friedrich regained the copyrights to Ghost Rider in 2001.
"Ghost Rider" the movie opened February 16 in North America, grossing an estimated $214.6 million in worldwide box office.
"Ghost Rider" the movie opened February 16 in North America, grossing an estimated $214.6 million in worldwide box office.
