Lawsuits against movies and film producer often stem from copyright infraction , piracy , or inaccurate detail smother genuine issue . In some cases , a cause is filed as a immediate way to get a piece of a widely democratic motion picture ’s box post revenue . Here are eight flick that led to legal action .
1.Captain Phillips(2013)The Lawsuit: The crew of the MVMaersk Alabamavs. Waterman Steamship Corporation and Maersk Line, Limited
The latest film from British music director Paul Greengrass tells the epic storey of Captain Richard Phillips , the captain of the MVMaersk Alabama , and his trial by ordeal when Somali pirates hijack his cargo ship in 2009 .
While the film interlingual rendition of Phillips was paint as an everyman who tried everything in his index to preclude the hijacking , the bunch of the actual MVMaersk Alabamasaw things other than . The crew claims[PDF ] that Captain Phillips knowingly operate intopirate - infested watersto save clip and money , alternatively of steering clear of disaster , despite numerous monition signal that recommend him to go further by from the African coastline .
The lawsuit[PDF ] against the cargo ships ship’s company allege that the Navy and crewmembers were the true bomber against the hijackers and not Captain Phillips , as the movie would suggest . “ I need motion-picture fan to know that the lawful heroes are the Navy marksmen and Navy personnel office who bail out the shipping company and Captain Phillips , ” said Brian Beckcom , the lawyer representing nine of the former seamen of the MVMaersk Alabama , who were line as “ the hardy bunch appendage who struggle back against the pirates . ”The lawsuitseeks unspecified pecuniary damages , as the plaintiffs exact strong-arm and emotional injuries during the pathetic scrimmage .
2.Drive(2011)The Lawsuit: Sarah Deming vs. FilmDistrict and Emagine Theaters Novi, Michigan
In October 2011 , a Michigan woman describe Sarah Demingfiled a lawsuit[PDF ] against the Emagine Novi movie theater and FilmDistrict Distribution for making amisleading trailerforDrive , a motion-picture show starring Ryan Gosling , Carey Mulligan , and Albert Brooks .
Deming claimed that the film distributor “ promotedDriveas very similar to theFast and tempestuous , or similar , serial of movies . ” Deming was disordered thatDrivewas a methodical artistic creation pic that “ carry very fiddling similarity to a pursual or race activity … stimulate little driving in the motion picture . ” Deming included the movie dramatic art where she examine the film because it go against Michigan’sConsumer Protection Act , claming that the film was anti - Semitic for depicting member of the Judaic religious belief in an unfavourable and unimaginative light .
Deming look for statutory wrong under the Michigan ’s Consumer Protection Act , a admonition of the film’santi - Semitic propensity , and wanted the instance certify as a course of instruction activeness causa . The trial justice sided with the suspect , and on October 15 , 2013 , the appellate court rejected her solicitation .
3.The Hangover Part II(2011)The Lawsuit: S. Victor Whitmill vs. Warner Bros.
In April 2011 , tattoo creative person S. Victor Whitmill sued Warner Bros. for acopyright infringement[PDF ] in the filmThe Hangover Part II . In the film , Stu ( Ed Helms ) wakes up after a Nox of debauchery in a Bangkok hotel with a replica of Mike Tyson ’s tribal face tattoo . The plaintiff designed the tattoo specifically for Mike Tyson and therefore claimed it was a copyrighted work . Whitmill claimed that Warner Bros. had no right to put his piece of work in the moving-picture show or in any promotional materials confiscate toThe Hangover Part II .
The suit almost affected the release of the film , and there was the hypothesis that if the two parties could n’t arrive to an arrangement , the typeface tattoo would have to be digitally snarf from Helms ’ case for the abode video departure . Ultimately , Warner Bros. settledWhitmill ’s call for an undisclosed amount , andThe Hangover Part IIwent on to gross $ 581.4 million worldwide .
4.Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan(2006)The Lawsuit: Justin Seay and Christopher Rotunda vs. Sacha Baron-Cohen and Twentieth Century Fox
5.Black Swan(2010)The Lawsuit: Eric Glatt and Alexander Footman, et al. vs. Fox Searchlight and Fox Entertainment Group
In 2011 , two interns work on Darren Aronofsky’sBlack Swanfiled a lawsuit against Fox . Eric Glatt , working in accounting , and Alexander Footman , mould in production , failed to find any wage or college credit rating in exchange for their work , which they take infract both United States Department of State and federal toil laws .
Glatt claims he worked five day a workweek for 40 to 50 hr per week for more than a year , while Footman exercise a like schedule for 95 years . Neither receive any pay , benefit , class credits , or financial recompense . The pair seeks social class terms for wage owed during product and also an enjoinment to prevent Fox Searchlight from using recreational interns during any future plastic film production .
The Federal Court Judge gibe with Glatt and Footman , predominate that under the Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law , they should be considered employee , rather than unpaid interne . Currently , Fox is looking to reverse the court ’s decision in the Court of Appeals .
6.Natural Born Killers(1994)The Lawsuit: Patsy Ann Byers, et al. vs. Oliver Stone, Time Warner, Inc., et al.
In 1995 , Sarah Edmondson and her beau Benjamin James Darras fail on a violent offence fling through Mississippi and Louisiana after watch Oliver Stone ’s controversial movieNatural Born Killers . While in Louisiana , Edmondsonshot convenience storage bank clerk Patsy Byers , render her a quadriplegic . Byers then charge a suit against her assaulter and the film maker behindNatural Born Killersin 1996 . She claimed that the fierceness portray in the film drive Edmondson and Darras to go on a like law-breaking spree . The court fire the case in 1997 , just months before Byers pass away of cancer .
In 2001 , Judge Robert Morrisondropped the lawsuiton the grounds that there was not enough grounds that Stone or Time Warner wittingly intended to promote violence . The Louisiana Court of Appealsturned down the appeal[PDF ] from the Byers household ’s attorney and the lawsuit was officially closed .
7.Avatar(2009)The Lawsuit: William Roger Dean vs. James Cameron, Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
In June 2013 , record album masking artist William Roger Deanfiled a lawsuit[PDF ] against James Cameron and Twentieth Century Fox under copyright infraction for the foreign satellite design in Avatar . Dean claims that Pandora ’s flavor is extremely similar to thefantasy landscapesdepicted in his artwork on the booksMagnetic tempest , Views , andDragon ’s Dream . The case adduce a number of examples from Cameron ’s 3D motion-picture show , including the alien humankind ’s leaf , floating islands , Harlan Stone arches , and creature design .
William Roger Dean worked on the record album underwrite for well - selling rock bands including Yes and Asia . Dean is seeking upwards of $ 50 million in damages , an injunction against distribution , full accountancy , and a court order that makes it clear that James Cameron pull off his oeuvre . He also wants those rights apply and post on current and any futureAvatarprojects .
8. Pixar AnimationThe Lawsuit: Luxo vs. Walt Disney Company
In 2009 , Norwegian lamp manufacturersLuxo suedthe animation studio apartment Pixar and its parent company Walt Disney forcopyright misdemeanour . Although Luxo had turn a unreasoning eye to Pixar ’s use of their intent since John Lasseter ’s short filmLuxo Jr.in 1986 , the ship’s company file a complaint when Pixar start to sell replicas of the Luxo Jr. lamp with a peculiar Blu - beam of light passing of the filmUPwithout their permission . The lawsuit also cite the use of the Luxo brand name on a six - foot marvelous animatronic lamp at Hollywood Studios inside Florida ’s Walt Disney World .
A few month subsequently , Disney and Luxoreached a settlementand the case was move back . For the clock time being , Luxo hasno problemswith any “ esthetic rendition ” of their iconic lamp . Luxo Jr. has been Pixar ’s mascot since 1986 .
