Settlement Conditions Breached; CBS Issue Demands to Alec Peters

For those keeping tabs on Axanar following their 2016 legal stoush with Star Trek owners CBS and Paramount developments overnight Wednesday will come as no surprise. To others who gave up on ever seeing the follow up to the successful Prelude to Axanar – directed by Christian Gossett, the developments will pique their interest radar before falling away once more.

Axamonitor is reporting confirmation from multiple anonymous sources that a breach notice was issued by CBS’ crack legal team at Loeb and Loeb on October 1 following numerous breaches alleged to have taken place since the settlement agreement in January 2017 ended the 13 month legal fight. Those breaches potentially include,

• Earning money publicly in Axanar‘s name
  • Axamonitor says that CBS has taken issue with superchat donations on the Axanar Confidential livestreams,
  • Additionally, Axamonitor reports that CBS has taken aim at monetisation of the video content on the Axanar channel.
• An Independent Star Trek Film
  • Once again Peters has used that phrase which is one of the clearest fan film guidelines. The use of the phrase seemed to return in an August 16 press release that was picked up by a local media outlet.
• Using professional actors
  • JG Hertzler and Gary Graham are seemingly attached still, with Jonathan Lane at the end of last year asserting (before retracting) that Kate Vernon was signed on as well.  Additionally, Carrie Ann Hunt was recently announced.

Kate Vernon, she’s coming back. J.G. Hertzler, he is coming back. Gary Graham, he is coming back.
An Axanar Fan’s Perspective: Part One

He signed Gary and JG, I think Kate, I’m not sure.
An Axanar Fan’s Perspective: Part Three

• YouTube Copyright Claims
  • Repurposed Axanar footage on YouTube by various individuals – including once-staunch supporter Robert Meyer Burnett – where Peters had legally attested that he’s the copyright holder for Axanar despite prohibitions of such claims in the settlement AND fan film guidelines.
• Merchandising continues unabated
  • Peters seems to be utilising existing stock and brokering the sale of Axanar-related art and other products, while YouTube producer John Strekis has solicited support from fans for a new line of apparel.
• Public appeals for the next round of crowdfunding
  • Alec continues to seek applicants to a mailing list expected to be used for private fundraising for Axanar as well as soliciting PayPal donations… while not a guideline breach, the public raising of funds was banned by the settlement agreement.

Axanar posted a response several hours later, confirming that not only had they received this letter, but there are seven others just like it in the previous three and a half years (sic). Trekzone believes that timeframe to likely be two and a half years (since the settlement was reached at the end of January 2017) – The statement reads:

On Oct. 1st, Axanar Productions received a “Notice of Breach” letter from CBS’ attorneys. It noted that we had improperly referred to Axanar as an “independent Star Trek film” in a recent press release about our Oct. filming schedule. We agreed, and immediately eliminated that reference.

CBS also claimed that the Patreon campaign for Ares Studios violated the separation agreement. Since Ares Studios is a separate legal entity from Axanar productions, and serves as a sound stage for both fan film productions and student film makers, CBS’ assertion is without merit.

We will, as always, work within the spirit of the settlement agreement but will also protect our legal rights.

While filming this weekend is slated to go ahead, only time will tell if Alec doesn’t use this notice as an excuse why he couldn’t proceed – yet again. No word yet from Chief Propagandist Jonathan Lane on Axanar’s PR forum – Fan Film Factor.

Catch a playlist of Trekzone’s coverage of Axanar over the last three years:

This post will update with new details if they become available.