Goodness Prevails: Iron Man Screening Is ON.

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1. MyMesh.com
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:30 am

   Oracle has been an interesting company! (in positive sense)…

2. Rodney Rumford
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:30 am

   The Iron Man of Tech Blogging Prevails over Oracle.

   Can someone please turn Mike into a Superhero comic?

3. Sean
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:30 am

   That is pretty lame of Oracle.

   Those poor, insanely rich bastards.

4. sam
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:33 am

   so….

   for all of the posters who were screaming like little bia*chs yesterday at marvel going to apologize as it appears to have been a misunderstanding on a number of parts…

   the fact that you guys had the rant you had appears to be pretty much the norm, instead of the anomally. i’m amazed that people claim that the techcrunch crowd is the stellar site/group for new startups…

   people need to slow down, and do a little more analysis before posting in some regards…

   peace

5. Simon
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:34 am

   Yey !

6. bavb
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:34 am

   this post screams for a video from YOU michael. talk to us!

7. Charlie Key
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:39 am

   Well said sam. I am glad to see everyone was flipping out for nothing, as usual.

   Good to see that the event is still on though.

8. Michael Arrington
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:42 am

   sam and charlie key - i totally disagree. Marvel came down HARD on us and threatened all kinds of nasty legal stuff. If we hadn’t hired an attorney and posted, the screening would have been off.

9. rick
   

   April 30th, 2008 at 11:43 am

   Seems to be pretty good publicity to send Mike a cease and deist notice!

10. Cory O'Brien
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 11:44 am

    So when you say “most of the people on the wait list will get in”, how big is the wait list? Is it a first come, first served sort of thing?

11. Oliver Marks
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 11:51 am

    Oracle are official sponsors of IronMan: http://www.oracle.com/marvel/index.html
    which is almost as weird as that microsoft video ad online of the robot that is supposedly a windows server.

    Perhaps we can organize a flashmob confrontation between oraclers and techcrunchers later tonight - battle of the nerds pretending they are superheros.

    As for Marvel *sigh* what idiots, alienating a core market influencer group…

12. Beefcake
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 11:55 am

    I wonder what size is Iron Man’s carbon footprint?

13. jon
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    wait so oracle will be there as well? i’m confused.

14. Michael Arrington
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    Cory - There are 591 seats. we sold 500 tickets. 60 are on the wait list. We have another 50 on the private list, including techcrunch folks. My guess is everyone gets in, but there is definitely a chance some people won’t who are on the waiting list.

15. David Ulevitch
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    What happened to all the comments on the previous post? Did you take them down as a nice gesture to Marvel?

16. David Ulevitch
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Oh nevermind, I didn’t see you had a second blog post about Marvel… Ignore.

17. ConsumerPassion
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Pistols are re-holstered 

    

    
18. alex
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Marvel acted like a bunch of bozos. They could have at least called first.

    @sam, Mr. peace and love, dude, where do you work? I want to sue you because you’ll be like “hey, man, it’s cool, love is all”.

19. Ryan
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

    As someone who lives in San Francisco, I’m frequently annoyed by Oracle when they come into town and act like they own the place. Congrats, Oracle, you just took my public image of your company and made it worse.

20. Larry Ellison's Beard
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

    Sorry guys, I was just feeling crabby yesterday.

21. Cory O'Brien
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    Mike - Thanks! Just trying to figure out how early I want to get there.

22. ConsumerPassion
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    OK, weird, I posted a new video (not the one above), and it saved a version I posted on the other Marvel blog comment stream. Oh well, learning how to properly use the Seesmic video comments! All is well in the Marvel/Techcrunch shootout, so the world is back on its axis.

    But Marvel should still send free Schwag and Robert Downey Jr., with popcorn, to tonight’s event.

23. Chris
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

    Nobody questions this?

    TC has never done a movie screening.

    This movie screening for $1 came out of nowhere.

    A legal problem mysteriously pops up concerning this event which was unprecedented.

    Said legal problem drives 200 comments and untold traffic to TC.

    M. Arrington is an ex-lawyer who knows how to draw attention to himself. He may have known about the Oracle booking ahead of time.

    Let that simmer.

24. Chris
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    @Chris What are you talking about? Are you on crack?

25. YDRIVE
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    @24 — guess that’s what BI (business intelligence) is originally meant for?..

26. Chris
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    @24, don’t waste your energy.

27. Michael Arrington
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    Chris - that’s so creepy how you figured this whole thing out.

28. Joe
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    @Chris
    LOL you are a classic conspiracy theorist. Sure some of what you said sounds legit but come on…. that would just be underhanded.

    Additionally, I really highly doubt it was all faked. Look at the comments from the different people at Marvel… I doubt they would be in on it as well.

    That’s the one thing that doesn’t work with conspiracy theories… if it really did happen how would you keep all the people involved quiet.

    -Joseph

29. Chris
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    @28, I don’t think Oracle or Marvel was in on it.

    @27, I think it’s peculiar how you frequently seem to be caught in situations where you are threatened with non-form letter, personal legal action, always by email, which you promptly post on this site in piratebay.org style.

    I can’t prove anything though. You got me there. Carry on.

30. Michael Arrington
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    Chris - do you think Marvel or Oracle, in this case, might perhaps raise an objection if I had made the whole thing up?

31. sukithardd
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    oracle can seriously fuck itself. that asswipe Larry Ellison just got a huge tax cut for his lame palace he built in Woodside. now his minions are fucking with my iron man screening?

    Fuck them all.

32. Chris
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    I’m not implying that you made it up. Just that I suspect that you create conditions that bring you into the line of fire of legal threats by design with your attorney knowledge in order to create blog traffic. In this case you may have had some piece of information such as knowing about the lack of communication between the parties which would lead to this happening. In other cases, linking to other’s personal pictures on this blog without crediting them.

    In the case a few months ago, when TC offered a raffle prize to those that paid to donate to online projects, where if you donated you got a ticket in the raffle hat, when TC quickly canceled the blog post when I mentioned that pay for raffles constitute illegal lotteries in California, I believe that was an honest mistake. I know I just made a massive run on sentence, but I’m pressed for time right now.

33. Michael Arrington
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Chris - right. your accusation has changed dramatically over your comments.

    Given that we worked with paramount group sales on the event, i don’t think it’s reasonable to assume we orchestrated a legal dispute.

    maybe try to see the good in the world. there is some.

34. Ryan
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 1:08 pm

    Stop feeding the troll, Michael.

35. Chris
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    @33, My original comment was misunderstood then. After which I made clarifying statements. I’m baffled as to why somebody who took a bar exam and went through law school would do so many things that would draw legal complaints.

    Movie openings are closely guarded now adays with the leaks on newsgroups ect.. I would have thought that somebody with a legal background would have researched the implications more or at least made sure that they were announcing it correctly, like most others in the same situation do.

    And in the event that there is a problem, why promote it like this?

    I know you won’t answer these questions, but it’s just something to think about. I am not accusing you of any wrong doing, just bringing up some points, and airing suspicions.

    @34, well said.

36. jdragon
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    Man, I wish I was fast enough to get reserve my seat! What is Oracle showing tonight? Pre-screening of Larry Ellison and his Planes on IMAX?

37. Martin Jamieson
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    Ironman opens in Australia today, first screening at my local cinema is in 3 hours… I don’t think there will be any startling ‘leaks’ from the TC screening

    @#4 It makes a lot more sense to bitch and scream in blog comments - misunderstandings or not - than go to the trouble of initiating legal action without first checking the facts.

    Have fun at your outing tonight guys, and make sure you throw some popcorn at those Oracle douches.

38. Mike B
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

    Ironman is good, but don’t get too excited. Just a fun little flick with a good performance by Robert Downey Jr. Otherwise, the 3rd act is by the book.

39. FatBastard
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 2:09 pm

    Marvel’s not off the hook in my book. They’ve lost the magic and become a bunch of douches. That they get pushed around by Oracle and let pimple faced lawyers from no name law schools loose to threaten the imnnocent provides no excuse. That they hired some suit from Sony who can sprinkle around some magic dust changes nothing. I’m looking to see if BoycottMarvell.com can still be registered.

    As for Oracle - well, that’s nothing new. They are supposed to be like that.

    As for Chris’s conspiracy theory - you wish you were that smart. I wish I were that smart.

40. Augie De Blieck Jr.
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    I should have guessed the Oracle connection. Here’s the ad across the street from the New York Comic Con a couple of weeks back:

    http://flickr.com/photos/augiedb/2448087906/

41. Augie De Blieck Jr.
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    FatBastard - Please be aware that there’s a vast difference in the business units, internally, between legal, licensing, and publishing. Boycotting the comics will do no favors to anyone. The comics are the least profitable part of Marvel’s business. And boycotting the movie won’t go very far — this puppy is going to rake in $100 million in the first week, or first weekend. Your little boycott won’t amount to a hill of beans.

    Sounds like this whole thing is the result of miscommunications behind the scenes and, honestly, Tech Crunch. This is Marvel’s first big movie on their own. Paramount is not in control here. It’s Marvel’s movie division. TC went the wrong direction for permission. Paramount should have redirected.

42. Augie De Blieck Jr.
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 3:17 pm

    Yeah, one more post — didn’t see that Mike called the group sales number on the website. So nevermind that point. Sorry for the confusion.

43. sam
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 5:21 pm

    mike…

    my point in the earlier comment (#4) was that although marvel was going to sue, the entire thing appears to have been a mistake. in that what oracle was doing, and what you are doing are indeed complementary, and that someone thought that they weren’t.

    the fact that you obtained a lawyer was a good move and in all likelyhood was a push to get the appropriate resource within marvel/paramount to act. the fact that you had a number of screaming bitchy minions yelling like little biatch*s probably didn’t sway anyone with authority within either marvel, or paramount.

    but i could be wrong!!

    my whole point was that people should chill, and relax, and perhaps get to the root of an issue before acting like a bunch of tweaked out catholic school girls!

    peace!

44. FatBastard
    

    April 30th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    OK, I’m both too cheap and too busy to register BoycottMarvell.com.

    All the same, any doubt I had that the magic at Marvell was long gone is dispelled. They are just cranking what cash they can out of a bunch of franchises where the creativity checked out 30 years ago. No kidding the comics are the least part of their business. Creativity in general is the least part of their business.

    The saddest part - as they hand what once was marvelously creative place over to bean counters and lawyers, they don’t even seem to have hired good lawyers, just (or so it appears) unimaginative drones from no name law schools that get their jollies playing pseudo tough guy.

    What a travesty. My perception of Marvell is changed.

45. mimizone
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am

    Thanks techcrunch for the early screening!! Loved it!
    Do it again for Speed Racer??

46. Tyler Wright
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 12:54 am

    laughing out loud at your sarcasm

47. Oh boy...
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 6:23 am

    @ Sam —

    Like that other commenter before said - the Old Media Thugs are used to bullying smaller sites all the time. One simple call to Paramout Group Sales would have avoided this whole debacle… But hey, that’s a whole 10 minutes out of someone’s day at both Marvel and Paramount.

    OMG, that’s 2 oh-so-important-people being inconvenienced…

    It’s much easier to just threaten the website.

    And Oracle?
    Well, what else do you expect from them?
    They’re happy to make Marvel their bitch, and let them take the heat and hate for it.

    So, after reading Mikes comment at #8, I wonder how long it will take YOU to apologize here for jumping to your conclusions?

    Ah, irony…

48. Oh boy...
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 6:28 am

    Heh… walk away from the comp to eat breakfast, then come back and finish, and click “post”… and there’s Sam missing the boat a few posts above me upon the refresh. No luck yet.

49. Oh boy...
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 6:31 am

    @ Chris —
    “My original comment was misunderstood then. After which I made clarifying statements. I’m baffled as to why somebody who took a bar exam and went through law school would do so many things that would draw legal complaints.”

    Uh, dude. He went through the proper channels…. Way to not pay attention to the situation…

    Mike did everything right. But they thug-posse pulled a Monty Burns on him and released the dogs anyway.

50. law
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Great Event! Movie was awesome.

51. blackfeathers
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    select ‘ironman’ from marvel where lawsuits=0;

52. Hendra
    

    May 1st, 2008 at 6:50 pm

    Did Mr. Assoff ever call back?