Watchmen-esque Lawsuit Threatens Jack Black Video Game

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It's not quite Fox vs. Warners, but it's kind of amusing nevertheless to see a couple of entertainment industry warriors fight it out over the rights to the Jack Black video game Brutal Legend. But this one's apparently worth it: A nation of stoners awaits Black's digital rendition as a heavy-metal roadie in a mythical land, if only Activision and their former partners can work out a deal by fall. The amateur lawyer in me thinks it's likely, but the trash-talking is already getting thick.

Or at least it is on one side of the battle. Activision is doing its talking in court filings, claiming that Double Fine Productions fell nine months behind schedule and $7 million over budget before passing the project on to the gaming giant's competitors at EA. That company plans an October release for the game, but Activision -- which says it still owns the rights -- wants an injunction against any release whatsoever.

Good luck with that, Double Fine's president told the Associated Press: "Hey, if Activision liked it, then they should have put a ring on it. Oh great, now Beyonce is going to sue me too." Zing! I have no horse in this race, don't own a gaming console, and will more than fill my annual Jack Black quota with Year One, but still. You've got to love the sass. Team Double Fine.

· Activision sues to stop Jack Black game [AP]



Comments

  • yarmulke says:

    My Jack Black quota was met after watching the Trailer for Year One.

  • Inhaler says:

    If this game was actually worth playing, I might give a shit. Annoying celebrity voices belong in movies by DreamWorks, not video games. Yeah Shrek I'm looking at you.

  • MCU says:

    Tim Schafer (the aforementioned president of Double Fine) is one of the best designers in videogames today -- by which I mean concept, writing and (sometimes even) execution. Fucker writes himself some funny dialogue.
    As a pretty casual game player over the years, my opinion might not count for a whole heck of a lot, but I figure the guy who made Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Grim Fandango and Psychonauts can, you know, cast Jack Black's voice if he wants to cast Jack Black's voice.