Latest news with #Cage
Miami Herald
7 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Skechers accused of stealing design behind its bestselling shoe line
Founded in 1992, Skechers has grown to become the third-largest footwear company in the world, with around 5,300 stores nationwide and a diverse lineup of shoe categories. Skechers launched its Hands Free Slip-ins shoe line in 2023, quickly becoming its most popular product line and a key driver of its recent growth. However, its best-selling product is now at risk amid a high-stakes legal battle. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Skechers is facing a patent infringement lawsuit filed by HandsFree Labs, Kizik's Parent company, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The lawsuit alleges Skechers knowingly and willfully violated multiple patents with its popular Hands Free Slip-ins shoes. Related: Nike rival makes unexpected change in attempt at sneaker dominance Skechers is accused of copying four utility patents and two design patents that protect HandsFree Labs' hands-free footwear technologies. HandsFree Labs claims it developed and protected these technologies long before Skechers entered the category. Image source: Getty Images Established in 2017, HandsFree Labs has over 200 issued and pending patents, some dating back more than 15 years, covering its portfolio of hands-free footwear systems, including Cage, Flex Arc, and Squeeze It technologies. These technologies allow people to slip their feet into shoes easily without using their hands or tying their shoelaces. More Retail News: Walmart makes exclusive deal with major brand to compete with rivalsPepsi issues stern message to employees after mass closuresWalmart makes more cuts customers won't like "This isn't just a product Skechers copied, it's a category we created," said HandsFree Labs CEO Gareth Hosford in a press release. "From the start, our mission was clear - to revolutionize how people put on their shoes. We believed this everyday task could be easier, faster, and more convenient. We poured our energy into developing the technology to solve a real-world problem and make hands-free shoes a reality. We're now forced to defend that work against a company that chose to imitate rather than innovate." HandsFree Labs has licensed its technologies to major brands like Nike and other renowned shoe makers. If it wins the case, it would be credited as the source for Skechers' products. If Skechers loses this legal battle, it wouldn't just damage its annual revenue and brand reputation. It also comes at a time when the company faces significant tariffs, as 40% of the shoes it sells to its U.S. market are manufactured in China. Skechers (SKX) Slip-in shoes represent a significant portion of its U.S. online inventory, making up one-third of its product offerings on its official website. The company has repeatedly highlighted the success of this category in recent earnings calls, stating that it is its best-performing and resonates well with consumers. This has helped it boost sales and consumer engagement. For the full year of 2024, Skechers reported $8.79 billion in sales, representing a 12.1% year-over-year increase. However, HandsFree Labs claims this rapid growth has been fueled by unauthorized use of its proprietary innovations. Related: Why your favorite retail store is going out of business "The real danger here isn't just to our company, it's to innovation itself," said Hosford. "When billion-dollar brands can openly copy protected technologies and profit from doing so with no consequences, it sends a dangerous message to every entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor: Your work doesn't matter. We can't accept that. And we won't." With this lawsuit, HandsFree Labs demands a trial by jury on all issues and seeks to be awarded restitution from Skechers for its attorney's fees, costs, and expenses of actions, as well as other relief as deemed proper by the court. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
3 Prime Video action movies you (probably) haven't seen
Want to get your adrenaline fix without watching the same old shootouts and car chases? Prime Video's action movies section runs deep, but digging past the obvious picks can take time. There's a whole world of high-stakes thrillers, gritty brawlers, and stylish genre-benders just waiting to be discovered. And plenty of them are hiding right in plain sight. Some have big names attached, and others are cult favorites you might have missed. But all of them bring the heat. If you're in the mood for something fast, fierce, and just a little off the beaten path, here are three of the best action movies on Prime Video you probably haven't seen yet. Based on Irvine Welsh's novel and starring a gloriously unhinged James McAvoy, "Filth" follows a corrupt, coke-snorting Edinburgh cop named Bruce Robertson who's less interested in solving a murder case than in manipulating his coworkers, terrorizing suspects, and indulging every vile impulse he has. So yes, there's plenty of filth to be had here. But beneath the sleaze and chaos, this action flick is something much darker, sadder, and smarter. As Bruce's mental state deteriorates, the film shifts from grotesque black comedy to a shocking look at self-destruction, guilt, and mental illness wrapped up in the dressings of an action trip. It's wildly unpredictable and sometimes unpalatable, and if you can stomach the ride, it's one hell of a performance from McAvoy. Watch "FIlth" on Prime Video now Dev Patel directs and stars in this brutal, blood-soaked revenge thriller that blends the rage of "John Wick" with the raw desperation of "Oldboy," all set against the neon-lit underbelly of a corrupt Mumbai. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Patel plays an unnamed street fighter scraping by in underground cage matches while nursing some barely contained rage at a stolen childhood and a society that crushed him. But when he finally snaps, his violence comes fast and furious, messy and deeply personal. This decadent action thriller pits one broken man against a system that feeds on the powerless, and fortunately, we're the ones who win since we get a front row seat. Watch "Monkey Man" on Prime Video now Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman play a wealthy couple whose lavish home and strained relationship are both put to the test when a group of armed intruders storms in, demanding money and secrets they're not ready to give up. Yep, it's almost like your typical '90s thriller. What starts as a standard home invasion story quickly spirals into something more volatile, thanks to Cage's fast-talking energy and Kidman's typical magneticism. And if you're thinking about it being unhinged, as is the usual when it comes to Cage, you won't be disappointed. Watch "Trespass" on Prime Video now
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kizik Parent Sues Skechers for Allegedly Knocking Off Hands-Free Slip-On Shoe Tech
Kizik parent company HandsFree Labs has filed a new lawsuit against Skechers USA for allegedly infringing on its footwear patents. In a lawsuit filed July 24 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Kizik is claiming that Skechers 'knowingly and willfully infringed' four HandsFree Labs utility patents, which protect core mechanical innovations that enable true hands-free shoe entry, as well as two HandsFree Labs design patents, which protect ornamental innovations. More from WWD Skechers Secures Legal Win to Move Forward on Acquisition Skechers Signs WNBA Star Jackie Young, Expands Basketball Lineup With Custom SKX Nexus Sneakers Hands-Free Brand Kizik Is Popping Up in 8 Cities Across US With Mobile Try-On Activation Kizik stated that the case centers around Skechers' fast-growing Hands Free Slip-ins line, one that Skechers has positioned as a major innovation. Kizik is claiming that Skechers is using the patented technologies that it invented, developed, and protected years before Skechers entered the category. 'With its growth stagnating, this new shoe category was critical for Skechers,' HandsFree Labs claimed in the lawsuit. 'Skechers founder and CEO Robert Greenberg even acknowledged that Hands Free Slip-ins technology was 'integral to our global growth.' From their debut just a few years ago, Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins now account for around 35 percent of the products listed on its website. That astonishing growth recently fueled a windfall $9.42 billion acquisition announcement — with $1.1 billion going straight to Mr. Greenberg.' FN has reached out to Skechers for comment. 'This isn't just a product Skechers copied, it's a category we created,' Gareth Hosford, chief executive officer of HandsFree Labs, said in a statement. 'From the start, our mission was clear – to revolutionize how people put on their shoes. We believed this everyday task could be easier, faster, and more convenient. We poured our energy into developing the technology to solve a real-world problem and make hands-free shoes a reality. We're now forced to defend that work against a company that chose to imitate rather than innovate.' HandsFree Labs said that it holds a global intellectual property portfolio of more than 200 issued and pending patents covering multiple proprietary hands-free footwear systems, including its Cage, Flex Arc, and Squeeze It technologies. Since 2019, HandsFree Labs noted that it has licensed its technologies to partners like Nike, but that Skechers has not contacted the company to license its patents. 'The real danger here isn't just to our company, it's to innovation itself,' Hosford added. 'When billion-dollar brands can openly copy protected technologies and profit from doing so with no consequences, it sends a dangerous message to every entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor: your work doesn't matter. We can't accept that. And we won't.' This isn't the first time Kizik and its parent company have moved to protect its patents. In September, the shoe firm filed a lawsuit against Tishkoff Enterprises, LLC, dba 'Drew Shoe' for patent infringement of its signature cage technology. Kizik also alleged in the lawsuit that Drew Shoe acted with 'intentional and bad faith conduct' when designing and promoting its alleged infringing products. This lawsuit has since been dismissed, according to a filing submitted in the Southern District of Ohio on March 5. Best of WWD All the Retailers That Nike Left and Then Went Back Mikey Madison's Elegant Red Carpet Shoe Style [PHOTOS] Julia Fox's Sleekest and Boldest Shoe Looks Over the Years [Photos] Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
UPI
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: Karl Urban's Johnny Cage joins the fight in 'Mortal Kombat II'
1 of 3 | Karl Urban stars in the new trailer for "Mortal Kombat II." File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo July 17 (UPI) -- Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage, an actor who must compete in a tournament to the death, in the newest trailer for Mortal Kombat II. The clip, released on Thursday, follows Cage as he is recruited by Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) to join Earth's champions in defeating the evil Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford). Cage, as seen in the best-selling Mortal Kombat video game series, is a Hollywood star down on his luck when he gets the chance to help save earth using his legitimate martial arts skills. "Not the face," Cage says as he begins a fight with Baraka (CJ Bloomfield). Mortal Kombat II, the sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat, also stars Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Tati Gabrielle as Jade, Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, Josh Lawson as Kano, Chin Han as Shang Tsung and Ludi Lin as Liu Kang. Simon McQuoid returns to direct. The Mortal Kombat films are inspired by the popular fighting game series that first began in 1992. The latest video game in the series was a reboot released in 2023, titled Mortal Kombat 1.
Hindustan Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Mortal Kombat II trailer release: Warner Bros. drops spoof movie promo featuring Karl Urban as Johnny Cage
With just days to go until the official Mortal Kombat II trailer arrives, Warner Bros. has thrown fans a nostalgic curveball. The studio released a spoof trailer for Uncaged Fury, a fictional 1990s action movie supposedly starring none other than Johnny Cage, played in Mortal Kombat II by Karl Urban. Styled like a straight-to-VHS martial arts film, Uncaged Fury is a tribute to the kind of over-the-top action flicks that once made household names out of Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, and Michael Dudikoff. Mortal Kombat II trailer: Warner Bros. released a spoof trailer for Uncaged Fury on their official YouTube channel. (YouTube/Warner Bros) Also read: Warner Bros. Discovery to split into two companies, dividing cable & streaming The mock trailer includes a voiceover, flying kicks, slow-motion explosions, and plenty of cheesy one-liners - all delivered in the typical flair of the bygone era. Watch it here: A throwback to Cage's fictional filmography As the trailer opens, the narrator says, 'They p**sed him off… They messed with his shades… They should've brought more guys.' The rest plays out exactly how you would expect: Cage battling denim-clad henchmen inside a dusty warehouse, complete with flips, dramatic stares, and that classic battle cry - 'Showtime!' The trailer also includes nods to Cage's made-up film career, with posters flashing titles like Cool Hand Cage, Hard to Cage, and Rebel Without a Cage. All four faux films, including Uncaged Fury, are cheekily credited to New Line Cinema - the actual studio behind the original 1990s Mortal Kombat movies, the 2021 reboot, and the upcoming sequel. One of the most over-the-top moments shows a woman in a red dress firing a rocket launcher at Cage. He leaps - impossibly high - as the rocket passes just beneath him, then somehow curves mid-air to destroy a helicopter hovering above. Also read: Pete Davidson and Elsie Hewitt expecting first child together: A look at their relationship timeline When is the sequel trailer and film due? There's barely a glimpse of the Mortal Kombat logo in the Uncaged Fury trailer; it flashes so quickly, you could easily miss it. But while the spoof doesn't directly mention the upcoming sequel, it is clearly designed to stir up buzz ahead of the real thing. The official Mortal Kombat II trailer is set to drop on Thursday, July 17. Also read: Watch | Stranger Things 5 teaser out now, fans say 'this is absolute cinema' Karl Urban steps into the role of Johnny Cage for the first time in the sequel, which picks up where the 2021 reboot left off. Directed by Simon McQuoid, Mortal Kombat II will arrive in theatres on October 24, 2025. FAQs What is 'Uncaged Fury'? Uncaged Fury is a fake action movie trailer created as a promotional spoof ahead of Mortal Kombat II. Who plays Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II? Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage in the upcoming sequel. When does the official Mortal Kombat II trailer release? The full trailer drops on Thursday, July 17, 2025. Is Mortal Kombat II connected to the 2021 reboot? Yes, it's a direct sequel to the 2021 Mortal Kombat film.
