A string of copyright termination notices in the past year could mean that certain movie studios lose the exclusive rights to popular ’80s franchises like Terminator, Die Hard, Predator, and more.
It’s all part of a legal trend with roots from back when these major franchises were finding their footing. As The Hollywood Reporter writes, Congress amended intellectual copyright law in the late 1970’s to allow creators to grab the IP back from studios after a few decades. After 35 years, termination notices can be served up to their controlling parties.
Source: IGN.com Why Movie Studios Might Lose Rights to '80s Franchises Like Terminator