KR uk says cease and desist lawsuit?

[seeker78]

It was said on the Knight Rider UK site that Glen Larson has filed a cease and desist lawsuit against NBC with regard to the TV series? any word on that from you guys? Victor?

[Victor Kros]

Keep your eye out for information early next year, there will be more about it then. I am no longer at liberty to discuss further details regarding that subject.

=VK=

[spyhunter]

Great news, maybe he'll pull their plug before they embarrass themselves and insult the franchise!!

SH

[Michael Pajaro]

This has been going on for months. NBC doesn't seem too worried.

Some of us are really looking forward to seeing it.

[knightprobe89]

nbcu owns the rights to the tv show ,kitt has always been totally associated with universal studios, i dont think there is anything that can be done to stop the tv pilot or series. besides i'm really looking foward to the pilot and the awesome new attack mode kitt.

[89IROCNDoug]

Yeah, I think NBC is pretty confident that the backdoor pilot will air in February as planned. I'm sure they are aware of the lawsuit against them, yet they still showed that 15 sec. teaser. I will be pretty shocked if they aren't allowed to proceed with the TV movie.

[Shapeshifter]

The pilot will air on February 17th. If the numbers are good, it will go to series.

[Nelson B]

If Universal has to eventually give some type of cheque to Glen. They are probably going to drag it out for as long as possible. They have their legion of lawyers and I'am sure the studio bigwigs have been advised on their legal standings.

[Victor Kros]

Rest assured the storm is coming, whether the pilot is allowed to air or not there will be a reckoning before there is a possiblity of a series. NBCU is in violation of their contractual obligations and that makes what they're doing illegal, despite having the right to make made for tv movies they still have to follow contract stipulations in order to do so.

I'm just telling you the reality of the situation (as much as I'm allowed to) you can choose not be believe me all you like, in due time you're going to find out the official details early 2008. Feel free to speculate all you like, I've said what needed to be said on this matter.

=VK=

[Shapeshifter]

I don't know anything about this contract dispute, so I won't speculate. I do know that on the production side, they are not concerned about it.

[Nelson B]

Victor I believe you when you say theres going to be some kind of legal battle on the horizon. But I do find it hard to believe that Universal would put themselves in a situation where they would have to pay a huge settlement. But maybe thats the problem Glen's contracts are so old the lawyers don't have all the facts. I doubt the lawyers that drew up those contracts are still around its been 25 years. I'am sure there must be some turn over rate with lawyers.

[knightprobe89]

victor you stated previously that there was a old contract agreement with nbcu that states that glen larson has the right to executive produce anything knight rider related or they have to offer him a payout, well i thought you also said that larson doesen't want anything to do with the series. so how would larson executive produce if larson wants nothing to do with a series? so the only thing i can see is a payout option if he wins in litigation!

[Victor Kros]

It doesn't matter, they have to give him the option to do either and they chose to neglect that requirement. I believe strongly that they did so because they are trying to distance themselves away from Glen's involvement as much as possible. That is an educated guess based on facts the public is not yet aware of. At the very least as executive producer they are obligated to send him a copy of their pilot script, which they have also failed to do.

But really that's as far as I can go on clarifying this matter.

=VK=

[KITTfan]

I just hope it wont stop the new Knight Rider airing while I understand the proper route should've been taken to bring KR back on tv. I guess the legal stuff can be very complicated so unless it has been clearly stated, I don't think NBC have been intentionally violate the old agreement with Glen. It wouldn't make sense to jeapardise a potential tv-series project because of some legal detail and waste a lot of work and money. Or maybe the NBC lawyers have figured a way to do it this way? Argh, this begins to sound like a Matlock episode

[Blazing]

What's the big deal? If people won't like the series then it'll just get cancelled anyway. Lol I mean look what kind of fate TKR had and Larson was even the executive producer of that show and now a cease and desist lawsuit on NBC? Larson isn't the only one who knows what's the original series is like, the fans of it also do.

[pheonix_knight]

ok conspiracy theory...

is it possible that the leaked version of the script was done intentionally by NBCU so as to give Larson 'access' to the script whilst at the same time giving the fans a way of creating an online buzz on the cheap...

the line being 'well he had access to copies of the script but chose not to view/comment on them....'

[Shapeshifter]

Nope, not possible. But, the mafia and the CIA DID kill Kennedy...

[Nelson B]

Well one thing for sure the lawyers will be making lots of money on this. Hope Glen has deep pockets.

[MJknight]

I think it would be a shame if the Pilot Movie were to be unallowed to aire on February 17th, yet at the same time I can understand completely where Glen and Viktor are coming from; If NBC are in fact braking a contractural agreement, then there will be a backlash and unfortunately for NBC, it doesn't matter if the Legal paperwork concerning this matter is 5 minutes old, 5 weeks old, 5 years old or even 25 years old, a contractural agreement is exactly that, a law abiding agreement, and if it gets broken, then there will be trouble.

Personally, I hope the issue can be resolved so that both forms of Knight Rider can co-exist peacefully. True, the new TV pilot is not under Glen's supervision, which sucks a bit, however, to see the original format of the TV show rise from it's dormancy is much better than what NBC delivered to us 10 years ago with the abomination that was Team Knight Rider.

That, and it's better than no Knight Rider on TV at all. But, hey, that's my opinion and conviction and that's what I'm sticking to.

And what some fans and neutral spectators seem to forget is, if the movie does well (which we all know it will) then fans won't care about the arguable travesty and legal situation involving NBC and Larson by then as they would be bowled over with the Silver screen adaptation.

Again, my opinion.

Anyway, thanks for letting me get that out of my system.


Good night from the Knight.

[ckeller22]

I believe he was offered executive producer as held in contract as he was given it in Knight Rider 2000 and TKR. He is being giving credit in Knight Rider 2008 and i believe thats all they are obligated to do. The new characters are not his and all rights to Kitt belong to universal as well as the rights to produce the material on television. I doubt very much that a giant Tv conglomerate would be dumb enough to have not sought legal advice and proceed without the proper ground work laid out. Tell me Victor Glen(whom I respect very much)did not give a *?$# or proceed with legal action against Knight Rider 200(which was god awful) All of a sudden want to have a legal battle over the new incarnation. Let's not forget many writers not just Glen worked and created characters on a show OWNED by Universal. Yes I know Blah...The movie vs TV that just doesn't cut it for me. First a major motion picture is totally different than a Tv telepic. Batman has proven that.As I understand it and if you read the bottom after each Knight Rider episode it explicitly states that all characters and all property belong to Universal. I am not attacking you and I may not know anything but i guarantee Knight Rider will air as scheduled.I am not trying to start trouble but after talking to people I know who work for Universal this is the way I feel. I have a friend In the Hr department in Universal Orlando.

[Nelson B]

As I said before I hope Glen has deep pockets. I think he is going to need them.

[Victor Kros]

ckeller2,

I believe he was offered executive producer as held in contract as he was given it in Knight Rider 2000 and TKR. He is being giving credit in Knight Rider 2008 and i believe thats all they are obligated to do. The new characters are not his and all rights to Kitt belong to universal as well as the rights to produce the material on television.

- You are wrong, the characters absolutely belong to him because he created the original Knight Rider Universe, just because they invented some new ones for their backdoor pilot does not mean they are excluded from giving Glen his proper credit for creating Michael Knight, KITT, Knight Foundation, etc. They do have the rights to do anything they want on television, but they are still obligated to give him paid credit to do so. Once they violate that requirement they are making a show illegally and they know they are doing so, violating a cease and decist order that was issued once the backdoor pilot production was confirmed.

I doubt very much that a giant Tv conglomerate would be dumb enough to have not sought legal advice and proceed without the proper ground work laid out.

- You have a lot to learn about the entertainment industry and politics in Hollywood.

Tell me Victor Glen(whom I respect very much)did not give a *?$# or proceed with legal action against Knight Rider 200(which was god awful) All of a sudden want to have a legal battle over the new incarnation

- Glen took a payout for Knight Rider 2000 (which in hindsite he regrets), which is why his name does not appear anywhere in the credits, he look a executive producer credit only on TKR in name only. IMDB which has proven to be most inaccurate has him credited for "characters" for both Knight Rider 2000 and this backdoor pilot. He has not received any credit on the NBCU backdoor pilot, nor was he given any options. This has insulted him as both a writer and a creator and he has taken action against NBCU accordingly.

Let's not forget many writers not just Glen worked and created characters on a show OWNED by Universal

- No one is taking credit away from other writers on the show, but the fact of the matter is Glen INVENTED Knight Rider and he alone has sole creator credit, other's contributed to expanding on the idea he came up with originally. I give just as much respect to Robert Foster for his work on KARR and Goliath's return. Even Knight of the Juggernaut has it's moments (very few).

First a major motion picture is totally different than a Tv telepic. Batman has proven that.

- Yes but keep in mind that Glen's contracts are very old and very valid. The seperation between "tv rights" and "motion picture" rights no longer exist in our day and age but contractual stipulations are timeless until a contract expires. Glen's contracts were written specifically so they could not expire. Universal never owned the theatrical rights to ANY of his created properties that he worked on for them, that was part of his contractual agreement because he knew that some day down the line they would become valuable which is what has happened now.

I am not attacking you and I may not know anything but i guarantee Knight Rider will air as scheduled.I am not trying to start trouble but after talking to people I know who work for Universal this is the way I feel. I have a friend In the Hr department in Universal Orlando

- You may not be attacking me but you are impying that I do not know what I am talking about and you do. The backdoor pilot may air but only if Glen's people allow it to, despite how you feel or anyone else and there will be a legal reckoning regardless. Universal's theme parks have absolutely nothing to do with the production of the backdoor pilot so I fail to see why that would influence you in this matter.

I do not blame people for their opinions but I do prefer their information be accurate.

As for you Nelson B, do not worry about his legal expenses, he's got that covered I assure you and if he wins his case (and he usually does win, ask George Lucas) Universal will have to pay a very large bill which will more then cover the cost of lawyers.

To the rest of you who either support or find my presence here irritating, I wish you all a Happy New Year and eagerly await the events to come in 2008.

=VK=

[Joe Huth]

ckeller2,

- Glen took a payout for Knight Rider 2000 (which in hindsite he regrets), which is why his name does not appear anywhere in the credits, he look a executive producer credit only on TKR in name only. IMDB which has proven to be most inaccurate has him credited for "characters" for both Knight Rider 2000 and this backdoor pilot. He has not received any credit on the NBCU backdoor pilot, nor was he given any options. This has insulted him as both a writer and a creator and he has taken action against NBCU accordingly.

Glen's name does appear in Knight Rider 2000, in only this one instance:



Joe

[Victor Kros]

I assume that's a dvd still. His name must have been added in post then for the bonus disc because it didn't appear in the television airing that I can recall.

Thanks for pointing that out.

=VK=

[scottab21]

Victor, I remember watching the original airing of KR 2000 on TV and my older brother excited about the fact that Glen Larson's name appeared in the opening credits. I never understood why, until I learned who Glen Larson was.