The director VS film distributor. Quentin Tarantino made headlines when he announced his plans to release Pulp Fiction NFTs. However, film studio Miramax asserted that Tarantino doesn’t have the rights to release such NFTs. So two weeks after the announcement, they filed a suit against Tarantino citing copyrights infringement.
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime black comedy film written and directed by Tarantino. It won the Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and was a major critical and commercial success. In fact, it launched the careers of John Travolta, Samuel Jackson and Uma Thurman and earned them Academy Award nominations.
The NFTs for this classic and iconic film would most likely fetch huge sums. So let’s see how both parties will protect their turf.
Who has the right to release Pulp Fiction NFTs?
Tarantino plans to release seven never-before-seen, uncut scenes from Pulp Fiction as Secret NFTs on OpenSea. The NFTs were based on excerpts from his original handwritten script. This will surely be a treat for collectors and movie buffs because the film is considered by many as Tarantino’s masterpiece, with particular praise for its screenwriting.
Meanwhile, Miramax is objecting as the owner of the rights to the film, often described by critics as the touchstone of postmodern film. Through Attorney Bart Williams, they accused the director of a “deliberate, pre-meditated, short-term money grab.”
Miramax’s suit also accuses Tarantino of being “eager to cash in on the [NFT] boom” in announcing the collectibles in partnership with SCRT Labs as one of the first projects to launch on the Secret Network blockchain network. The NFTs feature content that only each respective owner can view, such as exclusive audio commentary with previously-unreleased content.
Furthermore, the studio alleged that Tarantino “kept his ‘Pulp Fiction’ NFT plans secret.” Adding that, they sent the director a cease and desist letter sent following the November 2 announcement, demanding that he cancel the planned release.
More about the Lawsuit
The court documents further detailed the basis of Miramax’s lawsuit. “Tarantino’s conduct has forced Miramax to bring this lawsuit against a valued collaborator in order to enforce, preserve, and protect its contractual and intellectual property rights relating to one of Miramax’s most iconic and valuable film properties.”
They also mentioned that if they don’t do anything to stop the drop, others might believe they are also into the venture. In addition, they believe that the NFT drop devalues the NFT rights to Pulp Fiction, which they intend to maximize through a strategic, comprehensive approach.
Copyright Infringement Battles in the NFT Space
The NFT industry is still in its inception stage. So, there are still a lot of gray areas, particularly in the legal aspect. Over the past few months, we’ve reported several copyright infringement cases. For example, Jay-Z filed a lawsuit against former partner Damon Dash. According to the documents, Dash allegedly tried to sell an NFT of his first album.
We’ll follow this story closely, so stay tuned!
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