Mr Isaac Larian, chief executive officer of MGA Entertainment, told the newspaper he was 'open to all different options as long as they are reasonable' but dismissed a full transfer of the doll rights to Mattel. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
LOS ANGELES - THE head of the company that makes Bratz fashion dolls said he would be willing to share a portion of royalties from the dolls' first generation with rival Mattel to settle a lengthy legal dispute, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday on its website.
Larian disputes 'revenue-sharing'
LOS ANGELES - MGA Entertainment will not share future revenue from its Bratz doll franchise with Mattel to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit, MGA Chief Executive Isaac Larian told Reuters on Thursday.
'It's not true. I never said that,' Mr Larian said of a Wall Street Journal story, which cited him as saying that MGA would be willing to share future revenues from its Bratz doll franchise to end the federal court litigation.
Mr Isaac Larian, chief executive officer of MGA Entertainment, told the newspaper he was 'open to all different options as long as they are reasonable' but dismissed a full transfer of the doll rights to Mattel.
'It's in the interest of MGA employees and Mattel shareholders that we reach a settlement on the issue,' he said. 'I prefer to move on and compete' in the toy market.'
The Journal reported that Mr Larian said he would only be willing to consider a settlement in which Mattel would receive a share of royalties from the initial line of Bratz dolls in 2001.
The newspaper said Mr Larian insisted his company wasn't willing to talk about sharing future revenues from the doll line as part of a settlement.
'Mattel has been open to good faith settlement discussions, and we are continuing to participate in this process as directed by the court,' Mattel said in a statement.
A jury last month awarded Mattel US$100 million (S$144 million) in damages in its copyright infringement lawsuit against MGA.
Mattel contended the Bratz doll was conceived by one of its employees who later took the idea to MGA. The jury's award didn't deal with future revenues for the doll line.
US District Judge Stephen G. Larson has put a stay on the case so attorneys could talk about a settlement.
Mr Larian said before the trial began he wouldn't settle with Mattel under any terms.
He told the Wall Street Journal he plans to continue with his claim that Mattel made products that too closely resemble Bratz. -- AP
