Tattoo Artist’s Attempt To Block “Hangover 2″ Denied

A federal judge has turned down the attempt of a tattoo artist to block the release of "The Hangover: Part II" over his claims of copyright infringement.  Victor Whitmill is the guy who designed the facial tattoo for former boxer Mike Tyson, the same design that shows up on the face of actor Ed Helms in the new movie.  Whitmill wanted to stop "Hangover 2's" release this week, but the judge said it would be too much of a hardship for Warner Bros., the studio that made the movie, and on the theaters that will screen it this weekend. 

One thing the judge will allow Whitmill to do is to take his copyright case to trial.  The judge also will consider a request for a permanent injunction to stop the film from being distributed on DVD and other forms of distribution after it completes its run in theatres. 

"The Hangover: Part II" opens in theaters nationwide this Thursday and most industry insiders expect a huge opening with some predicting box office returns of $100-million or more.  Sounds like a money grab for the tattoo artist and I bet he'll settle out of court, but walk away with a bundle of cash. 

SOURCE: "The Hollywood Reporter"