Twentieth Century Fox, which has long argued that it holds a copyright interest in the upcoming Watchmen movie adaptation, has won an important victory: a federal judge in Los Angeles has issued a preliminary ruling in favor of the studio, confirming Fox's claim and possibly delaying or preventing the movie's March 6th release date.

"Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the Watchmen motion picture," according to U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess. The case is set to go to trial on Jan. 20, although the judge is recommending that the parties reach a settlement.

Labels: Comic news, Movie Adaptations