Friends & Lovers, Inc. v. Lions Gate Films, Inc.

MEMORANDUM2

Plaintiff-Appellant Friends & Lovers, Inc. (“F & L”), appeals from the dismissal of its copyright infringement claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) and the dismissal of its pendant state law claims. Because the parties are familiar with the facts of this case, we do not recount them here.

The question in this case is whether F & L’s termination of the Short Form Distribution Agreement terminated Lions Gate’s license and resulted in a return of the rights in the Picture to F & L.

Absent an express reversion clause in the authorizing instrument, if a grantee under an…