Sam Raimi Fights For The Evil Dead Rights

Evil Dead writer-director Sam Raimi's Renaissance Pictures reboot
of the classic 1980s horror film has been threatened, as upstart Award
Pictures has filed an objection, calling into question the production
company's copyright claim.
THR reports that Award Pictures, which is working on an Evil Dead
sequel of their own, charges "This statement is a public declaration by
the defendant that the defendant abandoned the alleged 'mark,' Evil
Dead, decades ago." And so Award Pictures argues to the U.S. Trademark
Office Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that their sequel, daringly
titled Evil Dead 4: Consequences, be awarded the copyright as a prior user as its patent claim was filed before Raimi's reboot.
Basically, while Award is petitioning for the rights to Evil Dead
and thereby threatening Raimi's in-development reboot, Renaissance is
demanding the courts issue an injunction against the brazen production
company's creation of Evil Dead 4: Consequences, and is suing for
monetary damages on the grounds of trademark infringement, false
advertising and injury to business reputation. While it's unclear how
this peculiar copyright battle will end, it appears Renaissance's
reboot-backers Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and FilmDistrict
have faith in their case as COMING SOON reveals principal photography on the picture has begun in Auckland, New Zealand. This Evil Dead is expected to wrap in early July.