Supreme Court Weighs Copyright Protections in Case Over Andy Warhol Paintings of Prince

In a copyright battle with major implications, the justices heard arguments in a dispute over whether the artist's alterations to a photograph of Prince should be considered a new work.

Did Andy Warhol violate copyright law when he based a portrait of Prince on a prominent photographer’s work? That question was before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, as it grappled with the potentially massive consequences of a case that could change the landscape for art that’s created using other art.

Several justices observed the possible implications. “Why can’t we imagine that Hollywood can take a book and make a movie about it without paying?” Justice Clarence Thomas asked a lawyer for the Andy Warhol Foundation.

Read the full article by the The Hollywood Reporter here.