DeLorean widow sues for ‘Back to the Future’ payments
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Actress Lea Thompson, left, rides onto the field in a customized DeLorean before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds in Los Angeles in 2015. The widow of maverick automaker John DeLorean alleges a Texas company has illegally received money from the “Back to the Future” movies that used his iconic car.
NEWARK, N.J. >> The widow of maverick automaker John DeLorean alleges a Texas company has illegally received money from the “Back to the Future” movies that used his iconic car.
The car was featured in the 1985 movie and a 1989 sequel. DeLorean died in 2005.
Sally DeLorean claims Universal agreed in 1989 to pay her husband for use of the car’s image.
Her lawsuit filed in federal court in New Jersey on Monday alleges the Texas company claims it is owed the money and has received “a substantial payment.”
The Texas company is named DeLorean Motor Company but isn’t affiliated with the one DeLorean started.
Sally DeLorean settled a lawsuit in 2015 allowing it to use the DeLorean name, but she says contractual rights to benefit from the use in the film weren’t transferred.
Attorneys didn’t immediately return messages.
