Paramount Pictures and Puzo estate battle over 'Godfather' sequel rights
The legal troubles between Paramount Pictures and the family of 鈥淕odfather鈥� author Mario Puzo continue, with Puzo's family and Paramount Pictures meeting in court late last week.
Paramount, which was behind the 鈥淕odfather鈥� movies, sued Mario Puzo鈥檚 son Anthony Puzo in an attempt to stop publication of the 鈥淕odfather鈥� prequel 鈥淭he Family Corleone鈥� this winter, despite the fact that 鈥淐orleone鈥� had been approved by the Puzo family. The Puzos filed a counterclaim stating that the studio had been given plenty of notice about the publication of the book and requested $10 million in damages.
The book 鈥淭he Family Corleone鈥� was written by author Ed Falco, uncle of 鈥淭he Sopranos鈥� actress Edie Falco, and was published in May despite the lawsuit.
Paramount claims that it bought all copyright interests and rights as well as 鈥渓iterary rights鈥� to 鈥淭he Godfather鈥� from Mario Puzo in 1969, which the studio says would include rights to the 鈥淕odfather鈥� characters in other books. Paramount says the Puzo family can only release the book "The Godfather鈥� as well as any adaptations of that original story.
The Puzo family says the original agreement did not include book rights and is now asking the court to affirm that they have the rights to any 鈥淕odfather鈥� sequels and that the studio does not have film rights to any possible movie adaptations of sequels.
US District Judge Alison Nathan presided in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday, when oral arguments were made, but did not issue a decision on the case or state when a verdict would be made.
Paramount said in a statement that it had 鈥渢remendous respect and admiration for Mario Puzo" and that it has 鈥渁n obligation to and will protect our copyright and trademark interests.鈥�
A lawyer for the Puzo family, Bertram Fields, told that if a new film adaptation of a 鈥淕odfather鈥� sequel became a possibility, the Puzos would be disinclined to work with Paramount on a movie.
