MGM Pulls ‘Rollerball’ Ads After Judge Bars Campaign

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said Wednesday that it has pulled television and radio advertisements linking its upcoming action film “Rollerball” to Universal Studios’ street-racing summer hit, “The Fast and the Furious.”

The move came after Universal took MGM to court, alleging that the rival studio was misleading the public by stating in ads that “Rollerball” was “from the film makers that brought you ‘The Fast and the Furious’ and ‘Die Hard.’”

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz issued a court order barring MGM from “stating or suggesting” in ads that anyone responsible for creative content of “The Fast and the Furious” also was responsible for “Rollerball.”

Although “Rollerball” director John McTiernan directed the 1988 blockbuster, “Die Hard,” the link to “The Fast and the Furious” was more of a stretch. John Pogue, co-writer of “Rollerball,” has an executive producer credit for “The Fast and the Furious.”

“Rollerball” is scheduled to open Feb. 8.

*

Ann W. O’Neill