Netflix Sued by Another Self-Published Author Who Claims ‘Don’t Look Up’ Stole His Idea

As a long-time cinephile and someone who has witnessed the evolution of the film industry over decades, I find myself both intrigued and skeptical about the recent legal actions taken against Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up.” The trend of self-published authors suing Hollywood for alleged copyright infringement is not new, but the sheer scale of the damages being sought in these cases certainly raises eyebrows.

Another instance, and it’s becoming a pattern. Yesterday, a second independent author filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging copyright violation in relation to the 2021 movie “Don’t Look Up,” directed by Adam McKay, which centers around a catastrophic comet threatening the planet.

Darren Hunter, a resident of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, asserts that a movie has copied significant aspects such as plot, characters, and underlying themes from his self-published novel “The Million Day Forecast,” which was released in 2015.

A year after William Collier from Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, filed a lawsuit claiming that the movie was derived from his 2012 self-published book “Stanley’s Comet,” another lawsuit was initiated. This new complaint asserts that the film in question is a copy of the original novel. However, a federal judge recently dismissed the previous lawsuit, stating that any similarities between the two were too common to be protected by copyright laws.

In the new lawsuit, attorney Larry Klayman is seeking more than $3 billion in damages. In a statement, Klayman blasted McKay and his collaborators for their “deceit and greed,” which he said “is unfortunate testament to the current state of some in Hollywood.”

On Thursday, a lawsuit was initiated in Orlando’s state court, Florida. The grievance lists numerous apparent parallels between “Million Day Forecast” and “Don’t Look Up,” such as both stories featuring headstrong female leads who strive to alert the world of an impending disaster.

The central ideas of satirical political commentary, grim humor, and the struggles of uniting people in crisis situations are prominent in both pieces, according to the court document. The striking resemblances suggest that the film has borrowed significant literary components from the book without the original author’s permission or approval.

The legal case claims a total of 34 issues, which encompass copyright breaches, misleading advertisements, and transgressions against Florida’s unjust trade practices act.

Netflix did not immediately respond for comment.

Hunter’s Amazon author profile mentions that he penned “Million Day Forecast” following an encounter with a mysterious being, claiming to hail from the galaxy Centaurus A.

I’m asserting that I disseminated my book to several individuals and organizations in the entertainment sector, among them being some who are associated with the filmmakers. However, I don’t disclose the specific names of these individuals in the suit.

The legal organization known as The Florida Bar aims to revoke attorney Klayman’s license for a period of two years, due to past misbehavior that resulted in his suspension in Washington, D.C. Klayman has chosen to challenge this decision before the Florida Supreme Court.

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2024-12-06 06:46