12 November 2009 1:56 PM, PST | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »
The seemingly endless litigation involving the estate of Stephen Slesinger and the Walt Disney Co. over the Winnie the Pooh character has taken a new turn as the Slesinger heirs filed a lawsuit claiming that they have not received past royalties because of "past improper business practices" by Disney. The lawsuit follows a ruling by a federal court in September which held that the Slesinger's rights to the character are "unambiguous" and that Disney is required to pay "royalties for all uses." A spokesman for the Slesinger family told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the family believes it is owed hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid royalties. In a statement, the Slesingers referred to a September court ruling that, among other things, required Disney to give them a report on the gross revenue generated from all uses of Pooh characters. However, they suggested, the ruling faces "the formidable Disney legal barricade," forcing them and Disney "to waste valuable time and resources that could be used instead to create more happiness, laughs and smiles for children." »
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