NBCUniversal has settled a trademark lawsuit over its continued use of the classic DeLorean car from "Back to the Future" on merchandise and tie-ins for the blockbuster film series, according to a filing in California federal court.
NBCU and DeLorean trademark owner DeLorean Motor Co told the US District Court for the Central District of California that they had fully resolved their dispute.
The DeLorean DMC-12 sports car famously served as the time machine in the "Back to the Future" franchise.
Universal and Amblin Entertainment signed an agreement with DeLorean maker John DeLorean that allowed them to use DeLorean trademarks for "merchandising and commercial tie-ups" in exchange for 5% of revenue from them, according to the lawsuit.
The original DeLorean Motor Co went bankrupt in 1982. Houston, Texas-based car restorer Stephen Wynne bought DeLorean's assets in 1997, and NBCU began paying royalties to Wynne's company, which also calls itself DeLorean Motor Co, in 2020.
Wynne's company sued NBCU in 2022, accusing it of failing to pay the full amount of royalties owed under the contract.
The lawsuit cited the DeLorean's appearances in the film "Ready Player One," at Universal Studios theme parks, and on merchandise including toys, posters and lunch boxes.
US District Judge David Carter denied NBCU's bid to end the case last month and said that DeLorean may have been able to show at trial that NBCU infringed its trademarks.
Carter also rejected DeLorean's breach-of-contract claim, determining that DeLorean's estate had not transferred the contract to Wynne's company.
