Yesterday, the internet found itself blown away by the release of a Power Rangers fan film that took the famed series and made it dark, gritty and ultra-violent. While the intention of the short remains up for debate with some claiming it to be a parody of Hollywood’s desire to make every franchise reboot dark and gritty, something else now apparently in debate are the legal rights of the film itself.
After the video went viral, Saban Brands made a copyright claim to Vimeo to have the short removed from the service, which Vimeo granted. However, the YouTube version remains live (as seen above). Immediately, director Joseph Kahn mounted a defense, claiming that the film falls under fair use as there’s no pre-existing footage contained in the video itself, and that all shots are 100 percent original.
A top entertainment industry copyright attorney, who asked not to be identified, told Deadline that “there is a gray area of ‘fan fiction’ where tributes are made by fans and the studios don’t want to piss off their base by going after these people legally. The guy may have a fair use defense, or a de minimis use defense. It’s not a slam dunk by either side. Trademark law applies as well.” (via Deadline)
It also remains unclear how Lions Gate – the producing studio of the upcoming Power Rangers feature film reboot – feels about the whole thing, but the report goes on to say they have remained mostly on the sidelines through the whole ordeal.
Via Deadline