Warner Bros. wants a judge to rule whether the filmmakers behind the first three “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies or the successor to the production companies for the early 1990s features are entitled to more than $400,000 in net profits from the works based on comic book characters.
The suit was filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Warner Bros. against all the parties involved in the dispute. Vying with Fortune Star Media Ltd. for the funds are “Ninja Turtles” producers Kim Dawson and Gary Propper, as well as Anna Cottle, widow of producer Graham Cottle; director Steve Barron; and writers Bobby Herbeck and Todd Langen.
Warner Bros. currently holds distribution rights for the movies, while Fortune Star has an interest as the successor to “Ninja Turtles” production companies Golden Harvest Films and G.T. Productions Inc., the suit states.
Fortune Star maintains it is entitled to the funds even though the producers, writers and director of the films obtained a default judgment against the company last month that has grown with interest to $421,090.
“Warner Bros. claims no interest in the funds owed under the parties’ distribution agreements (and) intends to continue to deposit such payments with the court as they become due,” the suit states.
