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Dick Tracy Ready to Sue the Tribune

Warren Beatty and the Tribune Co. fighting over comic strip's rights

By Nicola Orichuia

| Wednesday, Nov 11, 2009 | Updated 12:35 PM CST

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A still from the Dick Tracy movie.

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Calling Dick Tracy ... to court.

Warren Beatty, claiming he still owns the rights to the popular comic strip, has been given the OK to file a California lawsuit against the Tribune, Crain’s Chicago reports.

Beatty had acquired the motion picture and television rights for Dick Tracy in 1985, five years prior to starring in the multi-award winning 1990 film. Alongside Beatty, the Oscar-winning movie also starred Dustin Hoffman, Madonna and Al Pacino.

Tribune says Beatty's rights have lapsed because the actor-director had not started work on a new project based on the character.

Beatty filed a lawsuit a year ago in California state court, but it was put on hold by the bankruptcy of Tribune.