You can bet that if the theme parks in the Jurassic franchise were real, they'd be sued into extinction over the death, maiming and consumption of the guests by the park's living attractions. While those theme parks aren't real, it looks like the latest film in the franchise may also find itself in a courtroom. Because Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom may be getting hit with a $10 million lawsuit.
Frederick Zaccheo of The Dinosaur Project claims that Universal and Amblin Entertainment breached a contract made with him through their use of the slogan "Save the Dinos," on merchandise. As a result, Frederick Zaccheo has filed a $10 million lawsuit for trademark infringement, breach of contract and unfair competition.
According to the complaint, as reported by The Blast, Frederick Zaccheo of The Dinosaur Project was contacted by attorney's for Universal and Amblin Entertainment in the summer of 2017, seeking his consent to use the trademarked slogan "Save the Dinos."
A deal was struck for $50,000, under which Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom could use the phrase to promote the film in advertising. But the phrase was not to be used to sell clothing or to promote any competing charities having to do with animal rights, endangered species, or environmental causes. Any merchandise that used the slogan was to always include Jurasssic Park/Jurassic World franchise branding.
The terms were seemingly to prevent the film and its massive advertising campaign from interfering with, or being associated with his own project and its efforts to save endangered species.
The "Save the Dinos" slogan was used in the viral marketing for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in a series of videos that showed Bryce Dallas Howard's Claire Dearing as the founder of the Dinosaur Protection Group. The DPG was trying to save the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar from extinction due to the active volcano Mt. Sibo. It seems that marketing was what the deal was struck for.
However, Frederick Zaccheo claims that the producers breached the deal by selling clothing like shirts and socks that use the slogan without clear Jurassic World branding. That makes them look very much like the clothing items he sells on SavetheDinos.org. So basically people were buying clothes that said 'Save the Dinos' and didn't really have franchise branding on them. And instead of proceeds going to the endangered species efforts on Frederick Zaccheo's website, they were going to the film's coffers.
The idea of extinction, endangered species, and what responsibility we bear for the other creatures on this Earth factored heavily in to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Although 'Save the Dinos' is a message that's not hard to get behind, but it seems that the way it was used in association with the film is the matter of contention.
Ultimately the dinosaurs were saved in Fallen Kingdom and are now out in the wild, roaming free, making Earth itself a Jurassic World. We'll see the effects of that in Jurassic World 3, arriving in 2021. For movies coming to theaters a little bit sooner, check out our 2019 release schedule.
