3 Count: Avatar Again

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1: Disney, James Cameron Sued for Copyright Infringement Over ‘Avatar’

First off today, Blake Brittain at Reuters reports that 3D animator Eric Ryder has filed a second lawsuit against director James Cameron and others involved with the Avatar series, this one over the 2022 film Avatar: The Way of Water.

Ryder filed a similar lawsuit in 2011 over the first Avatar film, alleging that the work infringed on the work he shared with Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment in the 1990s. However, that case was dismissed after Cameron produced evidence that he had been working on Avatar before Ryder submitted his story.

In this lawsuit, Ryder claims that he is not trying to relitigate the previous case but is instead focused solely on the sequel. Another Avatar film, Fire and Ash, is due to be released in theaters this Friday. Ryder is seeking both damages and an injunction barring the release of the new film.

2: Copyright Takedowns Issued After What Looks to Be a Leaked Avengers: Doomsday Trailer Posted Online

Next up today, Tom Phillips at IGN reports that copyright takedown notices have replaced several instances of the latest Avengers: Doomsday trailer, leading others to conclude that the trailer is both authentic and was leaked prematurely.

The trailer, which began appearing online yesterday, included several spoilers for the film and announced the return of a character that Marvel had not publicly acknowledged.

However, instances of the video on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit have both been removed and replaced with statements that the videos were subject to a copyright takedown.

3: Journalists Must Benefit From Copyright Tax Exemptions, Says Union

Finally, today, The Brussels Times reports that the Association of Professional Journalists (AJP) in Belgium is urging the government to include journalists in upcoming copyright and tax law reforms.

Currently, copyright-related income in the country is taxed at 15% after a 50% expense deduction on the first income bracket. A government proposal would eliminate the deduction, effectively doubling the tax rate for copyright-related work, journalists and other creators.

According to the AJP, many journalists have already left the field due to difficulty making ends meet. They fear that raising taxes on copyright earnings could exacerbate that problem and further harm journalism in the country.

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