10 Trademark Applications for JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Filed By Universal City Studios/Amblin' Entertainment

Apparently a new Jurassic Park movie, titled Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is being released next summer (news to me), and Universal City Studios, LLC and Amblin' Entertainment, Inc. are already getting a head start on protecting the movie's title.

On September 7th, Universal City Studios and Amblin' jointly filed ten applications to register JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM as a federal trademark, with each application covering different goods or services. Those goods and services cover not only entertainment services, but also a variety of merchandise one would expect to be marketed with a blockbuster movie. Some of the goods and services listed in these applications include:

• 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; amusement park attraction and theme park services (Class 41);
• Books and magazines in the fields of entertainment (Class 16);
• 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; downloadable software in the nature of a mobile application for playing games and accessing entertainment content for use with computers, portable handheld digital electronic communication devices, mobile devices and wired and wireless communication devices (Class 9);
• A variety of clothing items (Class 25);
• Toys, games and playthings, namely, action figures and accessories therefor (Class 28); and
• A variety of snacks and food items (Classes 29 and 30).

Universal and Amblin' filed all these applications on an intent-to-use basis, suggesting they have a bona fide intention to (but may not) use the JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM mark in conjunction with all the listed goods and services (which makes sense considering the film is not set to be released until next summer, so it's very unlikely they would be offering those goods and services under that mark as this time). See TMEP 806.01(b); 15 USC 1051(b).

As I've blogged about before, it is not uncommon for entertainment companies to file several trademark applications for a broad range of goods and services prior to the premiere of a movie or television show. I would not be surprised if Universal and Amblin' file more applications for this film prior to the premiere date.

According to reports, Chris Pratt is back to star in this film, which is scheduled to hit theaters on June 22, 2018.

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.

Disney Files Applications to Register UNIT ZERO, 5 Other Potential Shows or Movies as Trademarks

Disney Enterprises, Inc. had a relatively busy day at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 24th, filing six different trademark applications for what appears to be titles of television shows and/or movies. The applications Disney filed are for:

• LA FAMILIA
• THE MAYOR
• LOST IN QUEENS
• LIBBY & MALCOLM
• THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO KEVIN
• UNIT ZERO

Disney filed each application in Class 41 for "education and entertainment services," which doesn't provide a great deal of detail about how these marks will be used. Each application was filed on an intent to use basis, suggesting Disney is not yet using these marks in commerce but has a bona fide intention to do so in the near future. 15 USC 1051(b); TMEP 806.01(b). 

Such filings do not obligate Disney to actually start using these marks (although it will need to start using them to actually get a registration), but the statute does require a "bona fide" intent to use the marks as a condition precedent to filing an intent to use application, which means something more than just an idea in one's head exists for the mark (i.e., a business plan has been created, contracts have been signed for the show, the show is in pre-production, etc.). For example, it appears ABC (Disney is the parent company of ABC) is currently casting for Unit Zero, which is set to be a action dramedy.

As I blogged about last month, Disney also recently filed five trademark applications for RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK- RALPH 2. It is not uncommon for entertainment companies to file trademark applications for potential show or movie names prior to their premiere (like Netflix did last October).

Marvel Files 9 Trademark Applications for Spider-Man Logo

On July 7th, Marvel Characters, Inc. filed nine different federal trademark applications for what appears to be a Spider-Man logo (seen below).

Marvel filed each application in a different class (hence the nine different applications for the same logo) and on an intent-to-use basis (meaning it is probably not using the marks yet). As I've blogged about before, putting each class on a separate application is likely a strategic move designed to ensure that a problem with one application does not hold up the others (as it would if all the classes were listed on one application).

Some of the goods and services covered by these trademark applications include educational and entertainment services (Class 041), toys and games (Class 028), clothing (Class 025), and video game software and computer programs (Class 009).

The broad range of protection sought for this logo suggest that Marvel might have big plans for it. Is this logo related to the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie that is currently being filmed? Not much is known about the film so far. However, early pictures from the film show Spider-Man on a bicycle, and the logo above looks strangely like a bicycle tire. Coincidence?

D.C. Comics Prepares for Wonder Woman Movie With Ten Trademark Filings

The new Wonder Woman movie isn't set to release for almost another year and a half (June 2017) but D.C. Comics is already taking steps to protect the movie's logo. On February 3rd, D.C. Comic E.C. Publications, Inc. filed ten federal trademark applications for the logo seen below.

D.C. filed each application in a different class of goods or services, hence the ten different applications for the same logo. By being in ten different classes, D.C. is attempting to secure a broad range of legal protection guarding against use of a similar logo on many different goods and services.

Some of the goods and services included in these applications are entertainment services related to video games, movies, and television shows, vegetable juice, cookies, toys and sporting goods, clothing, bags, books, jewelry, and cosmetics. D.C. filed each application on an intent-to-use basis, meaning the company is not currently using the marks in commerce yet (which makes sense given the release date of the movie).

It's not uncommon to see entertainment companies file trademark applications covering a wide range of goods and services prior to the release of a movie or television show. These trademark filings protect not only the show or movie itself, but also a wide range of merchandise associated with the goodwill generated by the production. The trademark filings prevent counterfeiters from filing similar marks, allow the company to more easily license use of the mark on a variety of goods, and help the company prevent counterfeit goods bearing the logo from entering the country.

Lionsgate Files 16 Trademarks For Comedy Featuring YouTube Stars

On November 14, Lionsgate Entertainment filed 16 different federal trademark applications for Dirty Thirty and Dirty 30 [necessary? - ed.]. As often precedes the release of a new show or movie, these trademark applications cover not only the "[p]roduction and distribution of motion pictures" but also a variety of products used to promote the show/movie (i.e. clothing, bags, post cards, books, even nail polish).

According to Variety.com, DIRTY THIRTY is a comedy featuring YouTube stars Grace Helbig, Mamrie Hart, and Hannah Hart. It appears this will be a film "about a birthday party that goes off the rails." 

By filing these trademarks, Lionsgate is establishing a wide net of legal protection for the film's name and related accessories (which it can also license if it desires).