This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The show will go on even if the tattoo won't come off, ruled a judge in a case involving this week's release of "The Hangover Part II."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a judge refused to block Thursday's release of the raunchy comedy sequel, after a lawsuit filed by a tattoo artist who claims the movie violated his copyright by giving a character a distinctive bit of facial ink.
In the movie, pals Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zack Galifianakis) again go on a wild bachelor party — this time for Stu, marrying a Thai-American girl (Jamie Chung) — that ends up with them waking up in a fleabag motel in Bangkok. When Stu wakes up, he discovers he has gained a prominent tattoo around his left eye.
That tattoo prompted the artist, S. Victor Whitmill, to sue Warner Bros. - because he designed the tattoo for boxer Mike Tyson (who has cameos in both "Hangover" films). Whitmill sought an injunction against the film's release, and is still seeking damages for copyright infringement.
U.S. District Court Judge Catherine D. Perry denied the injunction, but did allow the case to go forward.
Anyone smell a settlement in the near future?