Does Warren Beatty still have the Dick Tracy rights?
Reuters is reporting that Warren Beatty is suing the Tribune Company over the film and television rights to Dick Tracy, a character he played in the 1990 film which earned more than $160 million worldwide, but is today most remembered for Madonna’s song "Vogue".
Under the original agreement between Beatty and Tribune, the rights would revert to Tribune if "a certain period of time" lapsed without Beatty having produced another Dick Tracy movie, TV series or TV special, according to court papers.The suit said Tribune sent Beatty a letter on November 17, 2006, that gave him two years to begin production on Dick Tracy programing. Beatty began work on a Dick Tracy TV special on November 8 this year and gave Tribune written notice. Tribune responded by asserting that it still had the right to terminate Beatty’s Tracy rights and effect a reversion, and did so.
The lawsuit seeks a declaration that Beatty’s work on the Dick Tracy TV special precludes Tribune from taking back the rights to the property.
Sadly, I doubt Kyle Baker will want to do the comic book adaptation this time…
So Beatty still had the rights all this time? Interesting.