FlipBoard
(CBR) Punisher fan-made film “The Dead Can’t Be Distracted” has received a cease-and-desist from Marvel.
In May, CBR debuted a teaser for the impressive Punisher fan-made film “The Dead Can’t Be Distracted,” based on Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto’s acclaimed run on Marvel Comics’ “Punisher.” Filmmaker Mike Pecci has updated fans about the status of the film on his personal website, and the news isn’t good for those expecting the film to see the light of day. Marvel has sent Pecci a cease-and-desist letter, demanding that Pecci “immediately stop [the] unauthorized use, advertising, sale and/or distribution of any production of The Punisher or any other Marvel character-based films.”
“According to Marvel it would ‘confuse the audience’ into believing that it’s an official Marvel production,” Pecci said of his fan film. “At first, I was flattered that the quality of our work might even compare to the millions they spend on production and advertising, but then the reality of it all set in. Marvel legal was demanding that I don”t release the film! Since when does Marvel go after fan films? Wasn”t there a recent and heavily promoted Punisher fan film with Thomas Jane? What could I do about this?”
In response to Marvel’s cease-and-desist, Pecci goes deep into his thought process and preparation for making “The Dead Can’t Be Distracted,” highlighting his love of the source material, his influences, goes into the process of shooting and promoting the film and explores the overarching question of whether fan films — a form of fan fiction — are actually “okay.”
The actions he took after receiving the cease-and-desist are perhaps one of the post’s most interesting aspects — after getting no response from Marvel’s legal representative for an offer to show the team at Marvel the film, he communicated with both Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto and got positive feedback from both. Now, he’s hoping the fans’ desire to see the film will help his love letter to Punisher get some kind of release. Moreover, he’d like the opportunity to pitch Marvel a Punisher-themed series of shorts.
“What would you do when staring at a letter from one of the biggest, wealthiest companies in the movie business? They can put me out of business with the snap of their fingers,” Pecci said. “Do I have a beef with Marvel? Absolutely not. I think they have become so huge and that my film is lost in the belly of the corporate beast. I want the right people at Marvel to see this film, to rescue our film, and to hopefully be inspired by my love for this character. … Write to Marvel. Tell them that you want to see this film. Tell them you want to see our Punisher on the small screen.”
I’m always siding with an indie filmmaker whose trying to get his or her name out there but, I’m confused… Is this like a Vimeo/YouTube thing. Or is he trying to push this into film festivals and/or make a profit from this film. Because if it’s the former then I think he should be allowed to and he should just post it online an day it got “leaked”. That’s how you REALLY get noticed. Like the “Mortal Kombat” relaunch a few yrs ago. If it’s the latter, then I get why he would get a cease letter. He shouldn’t compare his short to the Thomas Jane one. That was something they posted online on and didn’t promote like mike’s doing with his short.
“He shouldn’t compare his short to the Thomas Jane one. That was something they posted online on and didn’t promote like mike’s doing with his short.”
Hum… they first screened it at Comic-Con. Quite a big promotion IMO.
@Mehrine Hum… you’re reaching on that one. They showed the Thomas Jane short at Comic-Con, yes but, I would hardly say that’s a big promotion. No one goes to Comic-Con to see a short film and the short in question was more of a surprise for guests. ALSO, that is not where the short first premiered.
Using Tom Jane’s fan film as an excuse is a really poor one. For one they hardly promoted it and Tom didn’t wear the skull and nobody said his name “Frank Castle” or the “Punisher”.
But I could hardly care less about this fan film getting axed. I’m a Punisher fan but believe it or not… I was not a fan of Greg Rucka’s Punisher which is what this was going for.
The redhead woman (who was going to be in this as well) was nothing but a sorry ass excuse of a femme fatale (pointing their guns at each other was a Max Payne/Mona Sax rip-off). Making the Punisher look like a poor rip-off of Solid or Naked Snake (spiky hair, an eye missing, trying to make his bandage look like a bandana, a beard and using the same type of gun) and having a redhead female partner (Meryl Silverburgh) who’s wedding ending in a massacre (Kill Bill) just to get new readers is sad… and not only did we already had this whole redhead partner (the one who was from S.H.E.I.L.D.) back in the late 90’s but a female (blonde) Punisher as well… in other words… been there, done that.