Orion development is still funded, it's the program to make multiple craft and use them a la the Space Shuttle that was canceled.    Unfortunate, but the US has some budget issues right now, we can't afford all the toys we'd like.   And the history of aerospace is full of prototypes that never saw actual service, but useful information can still be gained from the development alone.   

NASA's hardly unable to "do anything" in the meantime, though - they're landing a new rover on Mars in about two weeks, among other things.

All true enough, but the only way that good lawyer can make that case is by going to court.    JD was sending a polite but clear message that they were prepared to take that step, but giving the other party a chance to avoid it first. 

But the point here isn't whether or not they have a case (they do).    The point is the very internet-savvy way they went about this.   They're not even asking that all existing copies be destroyed, and incredibly they even offered to pay a reasonable fee for a new cover design.    That's what makes this a noteworthy story, and why JD is to be commended - they didn't have to do any of those things.     

By not coming across like a big company out to crush the "little guy", they not only got the result they wanted without fuss, they even reaped a nice bonus of goodwill from teh interwebz.    Brilliant.

But directed by Andrew Stanton... so kinda good news/bad news...

Well if that's how it works, then I really do have to set up my website idea, which is called KickStopper.  It's the place you go when you see some godawful idea on Kickstarter, and you can offer the creator money to never ever make that thing.

I hereby pledge to see Battleship again only if they'll use the money to NOT make sequels.   Now that's a reward.

I think we may have found the problem.