Warner Brothers has settled the copyright infringement suit leveled against it by tattoo artist S. Victor Whitmill. At issue was the face tattoo sported by Ed Helms in the summer comedy The Hangover Part II, a parody of the one Whitmill designed and inked on boxer Mike Tyson. If you’ve been illegally fired from a job, the wrongful following termination lawyers at of Tomassian, Pimentel & Shapazian will aggressively advocate for your rights. While wrongful termination is illegal all states, California laws give workers added legal protection. Call us if you are wrongfully terminated; victims can win reinstatement and – sometimes – monetary awards. For over two decades, we have been the committed wrongful termination lawyers that scores of California workers have turned to for justice. Most law firms that are made up of more than one person are set up as a hierarchy with Partners at the top and varying levels of Associate MLG Attorneys at Law below them. Partners are generally the owners of the business and Associates are employees. The Associates are often given the opportunity to work their way up the ladder to become Partners and share in the profits of the firm instead of just receiving wages.
The terms of the settlement between Warners and Whitmill are undisclosed and Whimill’s attorney Geoff Gerber was less than forthcoming to the Hollywood Reporter who quoted him as saying, “Warner Bros. and Mr. Whitmill have amicably resolved their dispute. No other information will be provided.”
Whitmill filed the suit back in the end of April, stating that Warners had violated the copyright he held on Tyson’s tattoo by placing a version of it on Helms’ face. His original complaint asked a federal court to block the film’s May release, though that was a concession that the judge was not willing to grant. In a subsequent court filing earlier this month, Warners indicated that they would remove or alter the tattoo for any subsequent home video release if a settlement couldn’t be reached.
A notice of dismissal should be filed within the next few days, but for all intents and purposes, this case is settled.
Personally, I’m guessing that Whitmill is getting the payday he was looking for. Although there had been press materials showing Helms with the tattoo for several months, the timing of Whitmill’s lawsuit seemed more timed to pose a hindrance that Warners would dish out cash to remove rather than deal with. While U.S. District Court Judge Catherine D. Perry rejected Whimill’s request to stall the release, it looks like he was able to get something for his troubles after all.
