If you were looking forward to seeing Lee Daniels' new film The Butler when it hits theaters this August, you might be buying tickets for a film with a completely different name: According to Vulture, Warner Bros. is attempting to force the Weinstein Company-produced project to change the name of the film, citing that the title has already been used—as the title of a short comedy film that was released in 1916, nearly 100 years ago.
According to Deadline, the Weinstein Company has reportedly already secured high-power attorny David Boies to fight the case, and explore the possibility that Warner Bros.' motive is to stifle business on a film that has already been widely advertised under a specific title. "The suggestion that there is a danger of confusion between TWC’s 2013 feature movie and a 1917 short that has not been shown in theaters, television, DVDs, or in any other way for almost a century makes no sense," Boies commented in a statement. "The award has no purpose except to restrict competition and is contrary to public policy."
Daniels has also made a very public appeal to Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara in the form of a letter, pleading with the studio to see the film at their "earliest convenience" before attempting to strip it of its title. The letter is quite heartfelt, and worth a read:
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You can check out the already widely released trailer for The Butler here.
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[via Deadline]