Disney is being forced to rename the title of its upcoming film, Tomorrowland, in multiple countries.
Apparently, the George Clooney-starring space adventure shares an identical title with a Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium-based electronic dance event. The music festival, which has been around since 2005, is trademarked in those territories, thus making it illegal for any other property to share the same name.
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Disney has yet to settle on a new name for Tomorrowland in the territories, but could potentially reach some type of negotiation with the electronic festival before resorting to such measures.
As trademark attorney Sharon Daboul speculated to The Belfast Telegraph:
“Rebranding is a costly and inconvenient exercise, and there may be a commercial resolution to this conflict whereby both parties agree to co-exist with each other,” she said. “Is there room for a Tomorrowland Disney film and a Tomorrowland music festival to exist together in the same market? This is a question for the parties to consider.”
Interestingly, the Tomorrowland music festival has the exact same problem in the United States. Disney registered the U.S. trademark to Tomorrowland back in the 1970s, which made it impossible for the music festival to carry the same name when it expanded into the states.
Disney has a few more months to decide what might replace Tomorrowland, before the film hits theaters on May 22nd.
