“In response, Hasbro’s counsel took the position that Hasbro owned the subject Works as works made-for-hire, and refused to provide a complete and accurate accounting, pay royalties due, or confirm its obligation to seek Landmark’s authorization to create a feature film based upon Landmark’s copyrighted Works,” continues the complaint. The plaintiff reports that it put Hasbro on notice last September. Landmark says it investigated further, discovering other alleged ways that Hasbro had used Candy Land characters without accounting for sales.
#Candy land board game license
“Hasbro had not reported this fact to Landmark, nor sought authorization to make such a film, despite the fact that the License Agreement did not give Hasbro the right to use Landmark’s works in this way,” states the complaint.
Then, reports began circulating about the Candy Land feature film.
According to the complaint, Landmark received $50,000 and future royalties. The plaintiff says it licensed the works to Milton Bradley, a toy company that would later be acquired by Hasbro. That year, the game was “completely revamped,” and Landmark takes credit for creating original artwork, storylines and characters like King Kandy, Lord Licorice and Princess Lolly of the Lollypop Woods.
The Candy Land game has been around since the mid-1940s, but according to Landmark’s lawsuit, it was bereft of characters besides a “generic boy and girl” prior to 1984. Now, Landmark has come forward in California federal court in an action that could threaten the film. PHOTOS ‘Transformers,’ ‘Battleship’ and ‘Barbie’: The Highs and Lows of Toy-Inspired Movies