IESB Sues Over Unauthorized Use of Spy Photo in Iron Man

Posted by on September 18th, 2008   Filed under: Action, Books/Comics, DVD and Blu-ray
Source: Collider

Well if you were looking forward to owning Iron Man at the end of the month, you may be interested to know that the version being released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 30th is not quite identical to what was shown in theatres earlier this year. It has come out recently that there was a small edit made towards the end of the film as a result of a pending lawsuit between movie website IESB and Paramount/Marvel. Alright, now settle down… it’s not as big a deal as you might think, but still a story worth telling.

According to Collider, there was some controversy last year when IESB posted some leaked spy photos of the Iron Man suit in action, prompting Paramount’s legal team to pull their website offline temporarily. Eventually the two sides made amends and IESB was granted an exclusive visit to the set of Iron Man to make up for it. Just to prove that there were no hard feelings, Jon Favreau eventually inserted a clever easter egg in the movie, reprinting one of the spy photos in a newspaper article shown near the end of the film under the headline “Who Is The Iron Man?”. At the time, Robert Sanchez of IESB posted about this little inside joke and called it “pretty fuckin’ cool”, but apparently he later filed a lawsuit against Paramount and Marvel for using the image without permission. WTF?

In the DVD release they have supposedly replaced the image in the newspaper with some other generic Iron Man photo, which in the grand scheme of things is such a minor change that I can’t see anyone actually caring. However, the fact that this lawsuit was even filed is very questionable indeed. I guess it’s an opportunity that one would be foolish to pass up, but talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Who do you think is in the wrong here?

(via FilmBuzz)



  • ajadoniz

    what an a-hole move by both parties, but especially IESB since Marvel/Paramount made amends.

  • Sounds like someone had dreams of getting extra cash out of this.

  • Both are a bit ridiculous (I can’t really say though because I have no knowledge of what the “spy photos” revealed; but if they were what I think they are Paramount was a bit overreactive for sueing in the first place because nothing they put on a newspaper cover could have been that much of a spoiler…but then again movie studios need to set precedent for litigations that counter internet spoiler culture to avoid having it get out of hand) but IESB is flat out ridiculous for sueing Paramount after they did “make amends” and turn the whole situation into something they both can benefit from at least in terms of publicity.

    I think it was IESB’s way of raging against the machine to sue for the use of photos that they did take (and own); but that they took them of something they did not own in the first place. Sure they had the right to sue; but I think that they were indeed vindictive little bastards for doing so…then again I’m not a lawyer.

  • I don’t think it’s a big shock that Paramount sued in the first place, so whether or not it’s lame is kind of beyond the point here … IESB obviously just want some publicity, if not actual money, but they’re just going to come off looking like cocks. I don’t know anything about the site and they already sound like cocks to me. Good luck getting any special access from studios in the future, IESB!!!!

  • Matt

    Fucking IESB. What a bullshit thing to do. I totally agree with Joel. Slimy cocksuckers.

  • meh. Hollywood vs Internet drama.

    Be happy with your easter egg and get over it.

  • Bas

    I concur. What a bunch of hoopleheads.

  • Robert is an asshole!

    Robert Sanchez is an asshole and a money hungry one at that! I have a judgement against him from a small claims suit filed back in ’05…with the interest it has accrued to $10,000 dollars!!! As someone who was once my friend and I trusted, I felt sorry for him cuz he said he was having family and money problems and lent him some money….turns out he disapeared on me! I may never get my money…that’s what I get for trusting the fat prick!!!!!
    I’m not surprised that he had the audacity to turn around and sue Paramount…a network that helps him feed his family (although I must say him and his family should cut down on all the food intake!)

    From someone who can’t wait for karma to rear its head…and I’m sitting here patiently waiting for it to happen!