Warner Bros has revealed that it intends to alter Ed Helms’s character’s facial tattoo for the home video release of The Hangover Part II.
In April, Mike Tyson’s tattoo artist S. Victor Whitmill sued Warner Bros over the use of Tyson’s facial tattoo in the sequel, filing an injunction to attempt to halt the release of the movie.
Whitmill claimed that the film used the tattoo without requesting his permission, citing that the use infringes the legal rights that he has over the design.
Although Whitmill failed to delay the release of the film, Warner Bros has now agreed to digitally alter the tattoo for the home video release of The Hangover Part II in order to prevent Whitmill’s request for an expedited trial, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Lawyers for Warner Bros stated: “If the parties are unable to resolve their dispute, Warner Bros does not intend to make any use of the allegedly infringing tattoo after the film ends its run in the theaters because Warner Bros will digitally alter the film to substitute a different tattoo on Ed Helms’s face.
“As a result, there is no reason for the highly accelerated trial Plaintiff has asked this Court to hold on Plaintiff’s request for a permanent injunction.”
Warner Bros previously labelled the lawsuit as “radical”, claiming that there is no legal precedent for Whitmill’s case.
A court date is currently set for February 21, 2012.