As a seasoned gamer and a keen observer of pop culture, I’ve seen my fair share of twists and turns in the world of entertainment. The recent dismissal of the lawsuit against Adam McKay over alleged copyright infringement in “Don’t Look Up” is yet another intriguing chapter in this grand saga.
The legal action aimed at Adam McKay, his production firm, and Netflix for allegedly plagiarizing a self-published book in the movie “Don’t Look Up” has been halted.
In simpler terms, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett discarded the legal case because she believed that many of the claimed similarities were too commonplace to prove copyright infringement. She granted the book’s writer a chance to revise and resubmit his arguments, as stated in the decision made public on Thursday.
In 2012, William Collier published his own dark comedy novel titled “Stanley’s Comet“. This story revolves around a minor NASA employee who stumbles upon a massive comet heading straight towards Earth. At first, the authorities are uncertain about its potential impact, but later they consider a nuclear attack as a possible solution. However, for various political reasons, this plan is ultimately called off. Meanwhile, the scientist becomes a celebrity as public opinion splits over whether to treat the threat as real and the affluent make contingency plans for their survival.
Last year, Collier brought forth a lawsuit, contending that his book and McKay’s film are remarkably alike. Similarities, as stated in the complaint, include shared dark comedy elements, similar storylines involving a large comet hurtling towards Earth, identical tones and themes, and similar characters – among other things.
The court dismissed the suggestions that the supposed resemblances amounted to a copyright violation. In his writing, Garnett stated that a comical, sarcastic, or satirical atmosphere is too vague to warrant copyright protection when it comes to the overall feel and tone of the pieces.
The judge concluded that both the film and the book contain similar recurring topics. They emphasized that criticisms of media, government, and society are common elements in contemporary American literature, which do not qualify for copyright protection.
Additionally, Collier claimed that these works all feature similar storylines: small-scale researchers find massive comets forecasted to strike Earth; they go on television programs to share their discoveries, initially encountering indifference from the public; followed by a dramatic turn of events as the comets become observable.
In the case at hand, the court highlighted the distinct narratives between the film and book. Specifically, in the movie “Don’t Look Up,” the comet impacts Earth, leading to an extinction-level event, whereas in the novel, the comet merely brushes past the atmosphere, ensuring everyone’s survival. The court further noted that “The discovery of the comet and the responses from the public and various government actors, including hasty decisions, indifference, and fear, are all scenarios and events that logically unfold from the core themes of each work.
Collier has 21 days to refile an amended lawsuit.
The lawsuit states that Collier’s daughter was employed as an executive assistant to Michael Aguilar, who was the president of production at Jimmy Miller Entertainment, a division of Mosaic Media Group. At that time, Aguilar reported to Jimmy Miller, who is alleged to have been McKay’s supervisor until 2015. It’s mentioned in the lawsuit that Miller and McKay frequently worked together on various projects, such as the production of “Talladega Nights,” “Step Brothers,” and “Land of the Lost.
In 2007, Collier claimed he submitted a copy of his book to his daughter’s workplace for possible development. Later on, McKay, who was a client of Mosaic, read the novel through Miller during this process, as stated in the lawsuit.
McKay claims to have written the script for “Don’t Look Up” in the year 2019, taking inspiration from various sources such as a discussion he had with David Sirota, a man who transitioned from journalism to political advice and received a writing credit for the movie.
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2024-11-16 03:24