Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has declined to pause Queen Forever. On Wednesday, a single-judge bench led by Justice Sandeep Marne refused the urgent relief sought by Phantom Studios India Pvt Ltd against Jiostar India Pvt Ltd, the producer behind the upcoming film.
What was argued
Phantom Studios, which co-produced the 2014 hit Queen, told the court that the two companies share joint and equal ownership—50 percent each—of the intellectual property in the original film. Its suit said the co-production agreement expressly covered derivative rights, including sequels, prequels, remakes and other works based on the film, its characters, story or elements.
Phantom said it had not given consent for any sequel or derivative version. The studio had also sent several caution notices to Jiostar from April 2026 onward, asking it to stop any project that could be linked to Queen. According to Phantom, Jiostar did not share details of the project despite those notices.
Why the court was moved now
With the film reportedly scheduled to arrive in a few months, Phantom argued that the situation was urgent. It asked the court to restrain Jiostar from developing, producing, completing, releasing, distributing, broadcasting, streaming, marketing or exploiting a sequel, prequel, remake, adaptation or derivative work under Queen Forever or Queen 2 without written consent.
Justice Marne declined to grant that interim injunction. The ruling means the project is not stalled at this stage, though the underlying dispute over rights has not been decided.
The core dispute
- Phantom Studios: says it owns 50% of Queen’s IP and never consented to a sequel.
- Jiostar India: can proceed with production and release for now.
- The court: refused urgent relief; the merits of the case remain open.
Phantom pointed to Queen’s strong critical and commercial record, and the goodwill the title has carried since its 2014 release. The court noted that goodwill, and observed that Queen Forever is a purported sequel being produced by Jiostar, with Kangana Ranaut in the lead like the original.
What it means for fans
For audiences, the decision keeps Queen Forever on track for now. The film is tied to one of Bollywood’s most recognisable titles and brings Kangana Ranaut back in a project connected to that world.
But an interim order is not a final answer. It answers urgency, not ownership. The larger question—whether Phantom’s written consent was required before Jiostar could make a sequel—will need to be tested as the suit progresses.
What to watch next
If the schedule holds, Jiostar may soon begin sharing release and marketing details. Phantom could push for an early hearing or further directions. The clearest next update for moviegoers would be a concrete release date announcement.
Source: Hindustan Times