By Kenneth Atisele
Fox Network is suing California Corporation Empire Distribution Inc. to affirm the rights to ‘Empire,’
Empire Distribution, ‘a music distribution company’ initially sued Fox Network on February 16th for $8 million to resolve potential trademark infringement and dilution claims.
Twentieth Century Fox Television filed a lawsuit Monday, March 23, in Los Angeles seeking a judge’s order that the network can continue to use the title ‘Empire’ for its series starring Oscar nominee, Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson.
The lawsuit states the San Francisco-based record label, Empire Distribution Inc., has sent letters demanding as much as $8 million from Fox. The distribution company claims the show’s title is creating confusion with its artists and Fox Network should either pay or change the show’s title.
‘Empire’ has become a hit for Fox, and with its reported ratings rising each week and nearly 17 million viewers tuning in for the show’s recent Season One finale. The show is about drama within a music and entertainment company run by Howard’s fictional character, Lucious Lyon.
In the lawsuit, Fox says Empire Distribution is not a well-known record label that only displays on Google’s seventh page. Although popular artists such as Kendrick Lamar, N.O.R.E and Sean Paul have released works via Empire Distribution in the past. Music from the show has also been reportedly turned into chart-topping album.
