Warner Bros. Studios is preparing to go to war once again with Charlie Sheen after it’s bitter Two and a Half Men breakup with the actor led to a nasty legal battle.
After settling a $100 million wrongful termination lawsuit in September, over firing Sheen from the hit sitcom, producers of Two and a Half Men have sent a cease and desist letter to the actor, the FX network, and production company Debmar-Mercury. According to Hollywood reporter, the studios are demanding a stop to using Warners-owned photos in connection with Sheen’s upcoming comedy show, Anger Management.
At least two photos of Sheen from his Two and a Half Men days—including the one above depicting the actor posed on a motorcycle—were included in promotional material distributed in January at the NATPE conference in Miami. Sheen and his new partners were in attendance at the event pitching the June debut of their show to domestic and international buyers.
In the letter sent by Warner Bros. attorneys, lawyer Katherine Chilton accused Sheen and his partners of copyright infringement which may carry a penalty of $150,000 per infraction, according to federal law.
“That you are using Warner’s intellectual property for a commercial purpose – namely, to sell another show – is especially egregious,” studio lawyer Katherine Chilton wrote in the letter. “Please immediately cease and desist from using these photographs or any other intellectual property belonging to Warner.”
FX, Debmar-Mercury and Sheen’s attorney, Marty Singer, were reached out to, however; all have declined to comment at this time. An unnamed source close to Anger Management did speak out though, telling HR the use of the Two and a Half Men images was an accident resulting from Sheen’s inability to take new photos because he has been busy casting the show with writer-producer Bruce Helford. “It won’t happen again,” the source reportedly told HR.
Well it seems the Warner Bros. cease and desist letter may have served its purpose, meaning its unlikely Charlie Sheen will have to battle the company in another testy legal showdown.
