Federal Judge Blocks T.I. From Using “Situationships” as Movie Title

T.I. has hit a legal roadblock in New York, where a federal judge issued an injunction preventing him and Grand Hustle Films from using the title “Situationships” for their upcoming movie. The ruling follows a trademark dispute with Featherstone Entertainment, owned by Cylla Senii, which had registered “Situationships” in 2023. Featherstone has used the name since 2015 for a web series, book, and screenplay centered on modern dating.

Court documents reveal that T.I. and Grand Hustle Films moved forward with the project while using the title in casting calls, interviews, and production materials. They even tried to register variations like “Battle of the Situationships” and “City of Situationships” but faced rejection from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because of their similarity to Featherstone’s existing mark.

Featherstone emphasized that it attempted to resolve the issue privately. The company met with Grand Hustle Films multiple times and “claims the studio agreed to change the name.” Despite those discussions, Grand Hustle kept submitting new trademark applications that included the word “Situationships.” When Featherstone’s cease and desist letter drew no response, it filed suit.

The judge sided with Featherstone, finding that the company “is likely to succeed in its trademark claim and would suffer harm” if Grand Hustle continued using the name. The court issued an injunction stopping T.I. and his team from producing, promoting, or distributing any content using “Situationships” or similar terms. The order also mandates that Grand Hustle Films remove the title from promotional materials, websites, and products while preserving all documents related to the project.

T.I. responded by saying “the title was never finalized and has not used the mark SITUATIONSHIPS within the last several months.” The lawsuit remains active, but for now, Grand Hustle Films is legally blocked from using the disputed name.