Producer claims Warner Bros. killed his 'Mortal Kombat' film

By Eriq Gardner

Now that Warner Bros. is trying to reboot the "Mortal Kombat" franchise, a producer behind the two prior films is fighting mad about being left out.

Larry Kasanoff's Threshold Entertainment has filed a new breach of contract lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming the company has a deal to develop the third "Kombat" movie but that Warners "has avoided communicating with Threshold and has in bad faith prevented Threshold from utilizing the interest they have in the" franchise.

"Mortal Kombat" was sold to Warners last July as part of its acquisition of bankrupt Midway Games. Threshold had sued Midway in an effort to retain IP rights over the franchise and alleged in the previous lawsuit that "the Mortal Kombat series, as it stands today, is far more a creation of Threshold and Kasanoff than of Midway."

Threshold claimed that Midway's work was restricted to making the "Mortal Kombat" video game, whereas Threshold was contractually responsible for fleshing out the characters and mythology in the first two films. As a result of Threshold's work, the company claimed it received a grant of significant intellectual property rights, including the right to develop a third film in the franchise. That suit was resolved around the time that Warners bought the franchise.

But now, according to the latest lawsuit, Threshold has been reading reports that Warners is developing a new movie with Oren Uziel attached as screenwriter. Not included in the development? Threshold. The production company is seeking compensatory and punitive damages "in an amount which, considering Warner's enormous worldwide wealth and income, is sufficient to punish Warner, to set an example and to deter further such wrongful behavior."

The complaint, filed by sole practitioner Peter Beirne of Rosemead, Calif, doesn't specifically seek an injunction barring Warners' development of the new film. But Threshold is looking for a repossession of property rights, which could add up to the same thing.

A spokesman for Warners says the studio isn't commenting on the case.