Warner Bros. goes after The Weinstein Company over ‘The Butler’ title

Warner Bros. pulled a strange move on Monday, beginning an attempt to stop The Weinstein Company from using the title The Butler for Lee Daniels’ anticipated, all-star drama. The studio says it has the rights to the title because of a nearly 100-year-old comedy short it has the rights to.

Deadline reported Monday that Warner Bros. wants TWC and Daniels to rename the film because it says it has the rights to The Butler title. Warner Bros. says it owns a 1916 comedy short called The Butler, produced by Lubin Manufacturing Company and released by the General Film Company.

The people at TWC are understandably annoyed, especially since it comes after they challenged Warner Bros. over the title The Good Lie, notes Deadline. TWC is making a movie called The Good Life and they believe the Warner title is too close to theirs. But eventually, TWC relented and its project will use a different title.

Deadline notes that Daniels has tried to ease tensions and fix the issue and TWC is hoping that the fact that his Butler was the last from producer Laura Ziskin before her death might make Warner Bros. reconsider taking legal action. However, nothing has worked and this case is going to arbitration.

Meanwhile, TWC continues to promote the film, releasing new pictures, notes Indiewire. The film stars Forest Whitaker as a butler who served eight presidents. Oprah Winfrey also stars, along with Jane Fonda, Alan Rickman, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Robin Williams and many more. It’s slated for release on Aug. 16.

image: TWC

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