DeLorean Motor Company, the legal successor of the original automaker DeLorean, has submitted a claim against NBCUniversal over alleged non-payment of souvenir royalties.
Back in 1989, the car marque signed a contract with the film studio according to which the former was eligible to a 5 percent share of the profits from selling any goods and any other transactions involving IP from the Back to the Future franchise. The claimant holds that the studio did not settle the debt in full and is unwilling to cooperate.
It is worth mentioning that NBC continues using the instantly recognizable image of the DMC-12 “time machine” in its new projects. For example, the car was featured in the 2018 movie Ready Player One, although DeLorean says it never gave the corresponding consent. The company now hopes to find out the exact debt settlement amount during the investigation.
Stephen Wynne, an entrepreneur from Texas, has owned DeLorean Motor Company for 27 years now. The automaker is currently working on a new model envisioned as a successor of the original DMC-12 with its signature looks and a high-end electric powertrain underneath.