Queen Sequel Dispute: Bombay HC Refuses To Block JioStar’s Queen Forever

In a setback for the petitioner, the Bombay High Court refused to issue a temporary stay order to halt JioStar India Pvt Ltd from making or releasing its upcoming movie, Queen Forever. A single-judge bench presided over by Justice Sandeep Marne turned down an interim injunction request from Phantom Studios India Pvt Ltd. The entertainment company sought to stop its co-production partner, Jiostar India Pvt Ltd, from moving forward with Queen Forever, an alleged follow-up to the 2014 blockbuster Queen. The original movie was a major critical and box-office success, building significant brand value over the years. Like its predecessor, the planned sequel reportedly features Kangana Ranaut in the lead role. There's plenty anticipation. Phantom sued JioStar India for ₹250 crore claiming that Queen Forever violates a 2012 co‑production agreement and a 2022 deed of novation.

In its legal filing, Phantom Studios stated that both entities possess an equal 50% stake in all intellectual property connected to Kangana Ranaut's Queen. According to the studio, the initial co-production deal clearly dictates that derivative rights—covering any sequels, prequels, spin-offs, or adaptations tied to the storyline, characters, or assets—are strictly split between both parties. Phantom Studios emphasized that it never gave written authorization or consent for Jiostar to develop, adapt, or produce any derivative content based on the original film.

Queen Court Controversy

The petition revealed that Phantom Studios had dispatched several cease-and-desist notices to Jiostar starting in April 2026. These warnings urged JioStar to stop developing any project that could mislead audiences into connecting it with Queen. Despite receiving these notices, JioStar consistently declined to disclose operational or creative specifics regarding the production, according to Phantom Studios.

Stressing that the dispute required immediate court intervention because Queen Forever is slated for release within months, Phantom Studios petitioned for a temporary injunction. The requested order sought to prevent Jiostar, its producers, and associated entities from executing any phase of production or commercialization. Specifically, Phantom Studios wanted to block all development, filming, editing, marketing, distribution, and streaming of Queen Forever, Queen 2, or any related derivative titles unless prior written approval was granted by both co-owners.

The court refused to grant the temporary restraining order, allowing JioStar to proceed with the project for now. This comes as a relief for the makers of the sequel. Vikas Bahl returns to direct the sequel.