The Walt Disney Company lost an appeal on Monday for a new trial in its legal battle with creators of the television competition "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?" which won $319 million in an award against Disney back in 2010, according to Reuters.

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges denied a request by ABC, Buena Vista Television and Valleycrest Productions ("the Disney affiliates" in the ruling) to appeal an earlier order that shot down their motion for a new trial in the case. The three-judge panel also upheld the damage award announced two years ago. Meaning, the 2010 verdict given by a federal jury will stand unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes.

"Millionaire" creators Celador International, Inc. filed a lawsuit in 2004 arguing that Disney and its affiliates mentioned above arranged deals that ultimately prevented Celador from banking hundreds of millions in expected revenues. The company claimed that Disney breached its 1998 agreement for the rights to "Millionaire" and additionally that Disney's affiliates did not include half of ABC's profits in Celador's compensation.

In 2010, the verdict settled in Celador's favor and it received a little over $269 million from Disney for a breach in license agreement. Celador then got another $50 million after a judge awarded them with interest charges.

"What the court of appeal did today validates what a careful and thoughtful trial judge and a quite attentive jury did two years ago," Celador litigator Roman Silberfied said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "We're pleased for the client."

On the other hand, a Disney representative told the publication in a statement that the company is "extremely disappointed with the decision" to deny their request for a new trial, and that ABC and its affiliated company "continue to believe that they fully adhered to the 'Millionaire' agreement."

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Disney, ABC