Warner Bros. might find itself having a devil of a time in court over the “Lucifer” theme song
Warner Bros. Entertainment has found itself on the receiving end of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by composers who wrote the song that the theme for the Fox series is based on.
The suit, filed Thursday in federal court in California, alleges, “Although all defendants acknowledge that [Robert and Aron Marderosian] wrote and performed the ‘Lucifer’ main title theme, defendants Warner Bros. and NS Pictures have commercially used, broadcast and exploited the ‘Lucifer’ main title theme without any agreement with or license from Plaintiffs.”
Warner Bros. Entertainment has found itself on the receiving end of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by composers who wrote the song that the theme for the Fox series is based on.
The suit, filed Thursday in federal court in California, alleges, “Although all defendants acknowledge that [Robert and Aron Marderosian] wrote and performed the ‘Lucifer’ main title theme, defendants Warner Bros. and NS Pictures have commercially used, broadcast and exploited the ‘Lucifer’ main title theme without any agreement with or license from Plaintiffs.”
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Defendants in the lawsuit include both Warner Bros Entertainment and Marco E. Beltrami, the latter of whom the suit alleges asked the Mardos for “assistance in composing and producing an opening theme track for a forthcoming dramatic weekly television series produced by Warner Bros. and NS Pictures titled Lucifer,” adding that Beltrami “was not able to capture the essence of what Warner Bros. and NS Pictures were looking for in the main title theme for the Series, and each of the musical works previously composed and submitted by Beltrami to Warner Bros. and NS Pictures had been rejected.”
With the deadline “fast approaching” and Beltrami “out of ideas,” the suit claims that the Mardos agreed to “write, record, produce, mix and edit a musical theme” as long as they were “credited as co-writers of any resultant theme track based on their work and that ownership of the music publishing of the theme track would be split three ways among Aron Marderosian, Robert Marderosian and Tristan Beltrami.” If the track was selected for the show, the Mardos, according to the lawsuit, would receive a share of all fees and a title credit reading “Lucifer Main Title Theme Performed by Heavy Young Heathens.”
However, the suit goes on to say that “Beltrami failed to inform Warner Bros. or NS Pictures of his agreement with Plaintiffs,” and that he “fraudulantly” represented the composition as his own work for which he “owned and controlled all right, title and interest therein.”
With the deadline “fast approaching” and Beltrami “out of ideas,” the suit claims that the Mardos agreed to “write, record, produce, mix and edit a musical theme” as long as they were “credited as co-writers of any resultant theme track based on their work and that ownership of the music publishing of the theme track would be split three ways among Aron Marderosian, Robert Marderosian and Tristan Beltrami.” If the track was selected for the show, the Mardos, according to the lawsuit, would receive a share of all fees and a title credit reading “Lucifer Main Title Theme Performed by Heavy Young Heathens.”
However, the suit goes on to say that “Beltrami failed to inform Warner Bros. or NS Pictures of his agreement with Plaintiffs,” and that he “fraudulantly” represented the composition as his own work for which he “owned and controlled all right, title and interest therein.”
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