Are Rocky and Bullwinkle Coming Back? Five Recent Trademark Applications Hint at Return

Remember the animated The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show from the late 1950's and early 1960's? It may be making a return, if recent trademark applications are any indication.

On September 1st, Ward Productions, Inc. (the producer of the show) filed four trademark applications to register THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE as a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The studio also filed another application for the show's title back in February. The goods and services covered by these applications are those you would expect to be offered in conjunction with a television series or movie, including:

• Entertainment services in the nature of the production and distribution of film, television series and short form entertainment content each featuring reality, comedy, drama, news and variety (Class 41);
• Prerecorded video discs and DVDs featuring motion pictures, television series or other short form entertainment programs in the nature of comedy, drama, news, reality and variety content (Class 9);
• Books and magazines in the fields of entertainment; comic books; graphic novels (Class 16);
• Variety of clothing items (shirts, dresses, pants, etc.) (Class 25); and
• Toys, games and playthings, namely, action figures and accessories therefor (Class 28).

Ward Productions filed all these applications on an intent-to-use basis, suggesting it was not using the mark in commerce on the filing date but has a bona fide intention to do so in the near future. TMEP 806.01(b); 15 USC 1051(b). Before these applications can mature into registrations, the animation studio must actually start using THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE in conjunction with the listed goods and services. TMEP 1104; 15 USC 1051(c)-(d).

Ward Productions does currently own federal trademark registrations for ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE and ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE AND FRIENDS, but those registrations only cover comic books/magazines and greeting cards/calendars, respectively. 

So are Rocky and Bullwinkle returning? Maybe. Pay attention to these trademark applications to find out.