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Warner Bros. TV and Fox Nation are butting heads over the latter’s upcoming series, “The Vow,” hosted by former “Bachelor” host Chris Harrison.
In the letter obtained by Variety, sent Sept. 18, WBTV, the studio that
produces “The Bachelor,” sent a cease and desist to Fox Nation, claiming the new series appears to be, through promos, “a plain attempt to capitalize on and ‘ride on the coattails’ of WB’s instantly recognizable intellectual property and the Franchise’s goodwill in violation of, inter alia, state and federal trademark, copyright, and unfair competition laws. Without having seen the Series itself, we cannot comment on it and reserve all rights in connection therewith. To be clear, though, we have no objection to Fox and Lionsgate releasing a dating show hosted by Chris Harrison in and of itself. But thus far, Fox and Lionsgate have promoted the Series entirely on the back of the Franchise, not on its own merits.”
The legal note, with the subject line, “Cease and Desist regarding The Vow – Unauthorized Use of THE BACHELOR Intellectual Property,” says that the marketing around the new series “capitalizes on WB’s intellectual property and goodwill in the Franchise,” before listing “Non-exhaustive examples of your unauthorized use” in the form of screenshots of the trailer and screenshots from past seasons of the franchise.
For example, WBTV calls out the red roses appearing in the trailer, saying, “Red roses are, of course, one of the central and instantly recognizable symbols of the Franchise, and this image from the Series teaser is plainly a direct copy of numerous Franchise promotional materials.”
They also claim that the thumbnail appears to “feature a mansion in the background meant to evoke the iconic ‘Bachelor Mansion.’ “
Fox Nation responded in a letter on Sept. 24, writing that WBTV does not hold any rights over “falling roses motif or in the words “The Bachelor” when used colloquially to describe a single man.” The note, obtained by Variety, continues, “Your letter also focuses myopically on certain stills from the trailer, while omitting that its clear purpose is to convey that The Vow ‘offers a different approach’ from other dating shows ‘by placing the focus on meaningful relationships, commitment and building a life together.’ Your letter appears designed not to vindicate legitimate copyright and trademark interests, but to restrict FOX Nation and Chris Harrison from promoting a competing dating show. It is unfortunate that Warner Bros. is targeting Mr. Harrison in this malicious and vindictive manner.”
Fox Nation also notes that “falling rose petals are scènes à faire — stock elements long associated with the romance genre that have featured in films from ‘American Beauty’ to ‘Moulin Rouge’ to ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ Warner Bros. cannot keep for itself a trope it has borrowed from others.”
Their response ends with a callback to the new series’ catchphrase: “‘The Vow’ exhorts its participants and viewers to ‘Choose Love.’ We trust Warner Bros. will do the same and drop its pursuit of these meritless claims.”
“The Vow” is set to premiere on Nov. 11, with six episodes rolling out weekly, following eligible bachelor Jace Cates’ journey dating 10 women. Per the official description, the show will explore “whether shared values, faith, communication, and long-term goals can build a relationship designed to last long after the cameras stop rolling. At a time when much of modern dating culture is driven by fleeting connections and social media attention, the series offers a different approach by placing the focus on meaningful relationships, commitment and building a life together.”
Harrison hosted “The Bachelor” and its many spinoffs from the series’ inception in 2002. He had a controversial exit from the franchise in 2021.
See the full teaser for “The Vow” below:
