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FILM LAWSUITS IN THE NEWS
Thinking of shooting your film without a script clearance report and errors & omissions insurance? You may be inviting a film lawsuit. These recent news articles describe film lawsuits involving intellectual property, copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, defamation, rights and permissions, etc. All links open in a new window or tab.
:: 2008 film lawsuits ::
 Lucas sues over stormtrooper outfits. (Star Wars)
Woody Allen sues clothing maker over NY billboard. (Annie Hall)
Steve McQueen kin fight unwanted image use. (image rights)
Cartoonist to sue over Islam film. (Fitna)
Film companies urged to read between the lines. (adaptation rights)
Oakley sues over Fantastic Four sunglasses promotion. (Fantastic Four)
Lawsuit over John Lennon film. (Three Days In The Life)
Bollywood's copycat film industry. (Hitch, Mickey Blue Eyes)
Spurlock hit with Supersize lawsuit. (Supersize Me)
Borat actor wins Alabama case over movie. (Borat)
Drug agents sue NBC Universal over American Gangster. (American Gangster)
Col. Sanders hating horror. (Kentucky Fried Horror Show)
Model sues over sexually suggestive commercial. (YouTube)
:: 2007 film lawsuits ::
How a film about the NFL Draft got stuck in red zone. (Two Days In April)
Narc eyes lawsuit against Gangster. (American Gangster)
Warhammer 40,000 fan film unreleasable. (Damnatus)
Cosmetics company sues over Bee Movie slogan. (Bee Movie)
Tarzan yell refused trademark. (Tarzan)
Law decides who owns dead star's image. (image rights)
Sex writer sues porn actress over name. (Violet Blue)
Borat dinner party lawsuit. (Borat)
Teen sues over XXX-Video debut. (Body Magic)
Porn actress uses former schoolmate's name. (privacy rights)
Borat sued yet again. (Borat)
Jay-Z and Damon Dash slapped with lawsuit. (State Property)
Marilyn Monroe's death ended rights to her image. (image rights)
Ghost Rider creator sues over copyright. (Ghost Rider)
Felix The Cat vs. Kit-Kat the clock. (Felix The Cat)
Comedian Burnett sues Family Guy. (Family Guy)
Ninja kitten band win Coke battle. (7 Seconds Of Love)
Dylan threatens action over Sedgwick biopic. (Factory Girl)
:: 2006 film lawsuits ::
Kungfu master's grandson loses defamation lawsuit against Jet Li film. (Fearless/Huo Yuanjia)
Leonardo DiCaprio saga ends. (Don's Plum)
Lawsuit against Michael Moore fails. (Fahrenheit 9/11)
Evel Knievel sues over video. (Touch The Sky music video)
Tom Brady blitzes Yahoo! (image rights)
Classic documentaries sent back to the vault. (image rights)
Philip Morris tells Hollywood: Don't use our cigarettes on screen. (product placement)
Frat boys are first Borat victims to sue. (Borat)
British designer prepares to strike back in Stormtrooper fight. (Star Wars)
Lawyer tries to block Alpha Dog release. (Alpha Dog)
A mangled hand, a Heroes suit, and NBC. (Heroes)
Fleming estate owns movie rights to children's book. (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)
Stallone settles Rocky films lawsuit. (Rocky)
Defamation lawsuit against Senator Kerry dismissed. (Stolen Honor)
YouTube Star Wars parodies can stay. (Star Wars)
Court rules against Sharapova in documentary suit. (Anna's Army/Russian Women's Tennis)
NFL Sued by Facenda Estate over use of voice in infomercial. (image rights)
Paramount sues over hijacked WTC film. (World Trade Center)
Battling the copyright monster. (fair use)
Cartoonist watches million-dollar success of idea similar to her own. (Over The Hedge)
Armless soldier sues Moore for using his image in anti-war film. (Fahrenheit 9/11)
Intellectual Property run amok. (intellectual property)
Hells Angels sue Disney over film. (Wild Hogs)
Kung fu master's grandson sues over Jet Li movie. (Fearless/Huo Yuanjia)
What's in a name? Quite a lot when you're a star. (image rights)
The Promise director calls parody immoral. (A Murder Sparked By A Chinese Bun)
Spamalot producers sued by model. (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
:: 2005 film lawsuits ::
Ivy Supersonic gets naked in battle with Fox. (Ice Age)
US court voids attempt to strip Pooh license. (Winnie the Pooh)
Minus P sues New Line Cinema. (Havoc)
Rod Stewart sued over RKO logo use. (logo trademark infringement)
Canadian Group Sues Radiohead, Warner Bros. Over Use Of Name. (Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire)
Lil Jon Files $30 Million Suit Against Larry Flynt. (Phat Tuesday)
Tom Waits files lawsuit against soundalike. (Opel TV commercial)
ABC News sued over use of bin Laden footage. (news footage licensing)
Cash rescues Eyes On The Prize. (Eyes On The Prize)
Roberts film musicians win payout. (Mona Lisa Smile)
Pryor Bustin' Loose with Lawsuit. (Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales)
The high cost of being "Wild". (Girls Gone Wild)
Warner Bros. settles Dukes Of Hazzard lawsuit. (Dukes Of Hazzard)
Can you say anything about the dead? (libel lawsuits)
Music muffled in Star Wars game. (Star Wars game)
A Super Size lawsuit. (Super Size Me)
Eminem wins settlement with Apple. (Apple iPod commercial)
Do a double take on films. (title reports)
Double trouble. (title reports)
Frenchman loses Nemo copy claim. (Finding Nemo)
Secret Garden. (The Garden documentary)
Suit filed against ESPN over Earnhardt symbol. (Dale Earnhardt biography)
Young singer threatens Les Choristes producers with lawsuit. (Les Choristes)
Bleary days for Eyes On The Prize. (Eyes On The Prize)
Spoof suicide bomber ad sparks global row. (Volkswagen Polo ad)
:: 2004 film lawsuits ::
DiCaprio and Maguire sued over 'blocked' early film. (Don's Plum)
Philip Glass sues over 'Celsius'. (music licensing)
Brando's estate takes action to protect his image. (celebrity image licensing)
Linklater 'Dazed' by lawsuit. (Dazed and Confused)
Defeat for teacher who sued over film profits. (Etre Et Avoir documentary)
Ex-boxer wins round in Stallone suit. (Rocky)
Same title irks original makers of Crash. (Crash)
$2.4 million judgment against Timex overturned. (PaddleQuest)
JibJab is free for you and me. (This Land Is Your Land music copyright)
Sue you: This song is our song. (This Land Is Your Land music copyright)
Shrek 2 banned in Israel over its cutting humour. (Shrek 2)
Director fights for Imelda movie. (Imelda documentary)
White Chicks hit as copycat. (White Chicks)
Family sue Disney over Lion song. (The Lion King)
Aeroflot threatens to sue filmmaker over brand name violation. (Nochnoy Dozor/Night Watch)
The ultimate game of endorsement. (product placement)
Day plagiarism alleged. (Day After Tomorrow)
Tobacco makers want cigarettes cut from films. (product placement)
Ramones documentary unreleasable. (End Of The Century documentary)
Madonna pays up to settle copyright claim. (Hollywood music video)
Eminem aims to take chunk out of Apple. (Apple iPod commercial)
Judge throws out Winnie The Pooh royalty case. (Winnie the Pooh)
Cat settles spat over Disney movie. (George Of The Jungle 2)
French author loses Nemo battle. (Finding Nemo)
Finding Nemo 'plagiarism' court case. (Finding Nemo)
:: 2003 film lawsuits ::
J.Lo's "Planner" Pinched?. (The Wedding Planner)
'Nude scene' actress sues rapper. (Doggy Fizzle Televizzle)
Hercules and Xena ghostwriter composer awarded copyright. (Hercules; Xena)
Ex-boxer Wepner sues Stallone for cut of 'Rocky' profits. (Rocky)
Lawsuit wants 'Drumline' producers to 'Pay The Price'. (Pay The Price vs. Drumline)
Court orders new story and play credit for "Die Mommie Die!" (Die Mommie Die!)
Michael Moore sued over anti-gun movie. (Bowling For Columbine)
Judge refuses Caterpillar request on Disney DVD. (George Of The Jungle 2)
Disney accused of 'evil bulldozer' slur. (George Of The Jungle 2)
French film star teacher sues. (Etre Et Avoir documentary)
Whose life is it anyway? (Etre Et Avoir documentary)
Madonna's sexy poses a rip-off? (Hollywood music video)
Studio sued over superhero movie. (The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
Judge rules for Kelley, CBS. (Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire)
N.H. Filmmaker Sues CBS over New Show. (Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire)
Granny sues Eminem for 'Guilty Conscience'. (Getting Straight)
Little Havana cigar maker says P.Diddy exposed trade secret. (Bad Boys II)
Underworld makers sued. (Underworld)
Slip 'N Slide makers sue 'Dickie Roberts'. (Dickie Roberts)
Robert Wagner sues 'Charlie's Angels' makers. (Charlie's Angels)
IGT embroiled in 'Munsters' licensing suit. (The Munsters)
Mewes balks at biography film. (Rock Bottom)
Indian TV soap back on air. (Karishma: A Woman Of Substance)
Clucking Mad over 'Chicken Run'. (Chicken Run)
Hopkinsville family files federal lawsuit over 'Morgue' show. (True Stories From The Morgue)
Hasbro and Kellogg settle suit. (Finding Nemo)
Court rules against 20th Century Fox. (Campaigns In Europe)
Bruce Almighty viewers should stop calling God. (Bruce Almighty)
Mr T. vs. Best Buy. (Rocky III)
Plagiarism issue jolts Bollywood. (Karishma: A Woman Of Substance)
Man claims 'Idol' was his idea, sues Fox. (American Idol)
Filmmaker may sue Evans, Carter to stay in the picture. (The Kid Stays In The Picture)
Paramount says J.Lo video lifts from "Flashdance". (Flashdance)
TV networks get attorney fees in copyright suit. (The Story Of G.I. Joe)
Darkness Falls heads to court. (Darkness Falls)
White Stripes may face lawsuit for 'Citizen Kane'-inspired song. (Citizen Kane)
Art for ad's sake is a copyright fight. (The Way Things Are)
Rush of Pitches Raises Copyright Concerns.
Israeli soldiers sue over film. (Jenin, Jenin)
Orson Welles' daughter sues over 'Citizen Kane' rights. (Citizen Kane)
Family sues 'Jackass' producer for having son pose nearly naked. (Jackass)
Supreme Court backs Congress' copyright extension.
'City of God' director responds to lawsuit threat. (City Of God)
Appeals court revives 'Perfect Storm' lawsuit. (The Perfect Storm)
Studio copyright battles worthy of Hollywood script.
Lawsuit claims Peter Pan copyright defunct.
:: 2002 film lawsuits ::
Searching for a Hollywood ending. (Over Nine Billion Dead Served)
'Sonny' lawsuit settled. (Sonny)
Monsters Inc faces 'copying' lawsuit. (Monsters, Inc.)
Timex ordered to pay 2 Montanans $2.4 millions. (PaddleQuest)
Documentary on rich kids can be distributed. (Born Rich)
Judge sides with No Limit Films in copyright suit. (I Got The Hook Up)
'Blair Witch' actors sue film's distributor. (The Blair Witch Project)
Besson's Big Blue finally opens in Italy. (The Big Blue)
Burning Man gets hot over steamy videos. (Burning Man festival)
Nicolas Cage Sued Over Directorial Debut. (Sonny)
Pilot sues over Bosnian escape movie. (Behind Enemy Lines)
Sondheim puts damper on BBC Cannes success. (Tomorrow La Scala!)
Screenwriter will fight HBO to the end over 'Under'. (Six Feet Under)
"Perfect Storm" suit fizzles out. (The Perfect Storm)
Sesame Street threatens lawsuit over gay Muppet rumors. (Ernest and Bertram)
Connie Francis vs. Universal Music Corp. (Postcards From America)
Televangelists settle $40 million plagiarism suit. (The Omega Code)
:: 2001 film lawsuits ::
Film archivist shows banned Bugs Bunny cartoons.
Suit alleges 'K-Pax' infringes on copyrights of 'Man Facing Southeast'. (K-Pax)
Twins fans who filmed ballpark tour file lawsuit against MasterCard. (Twins - Now and Forever)
George Lucas, Lucasfilm v. Media Market Group. (Star Wars)
Trial to proceed in copyright case against "Shakespeare in Love". (Shakespeare In Love)
Romania has no stake in Dracula. (Dracula)
'Storm' lawsuit proceeds. (The Perfect Storm)
Jack Deamer v. NBC, Max Mutchnick, David Kohan. (Will & Grace)
Jury awards Murray Hill Publications, Inc. $19 million in copyright lawsuit. (Jingle All The Way)
Amistad: Steven Spielberg's 'true story'. (Amistad)
:: 2000 film lawsuits ::
Sam Barber v. Daniel Myrick, Gregg Hale, Artisan Films. (The Blair Witch Project)
Giardello settles 'Hurricane' suit. (The Hurricane)
King estate settles lawsuit against CBS over rights to "I Have A Dream' speech.
Artist battles film producers, claims 'The Patriot' costumes violate copyright. (The Patriot)
Jeffrey A. Spector v. Tom Green, MTV Networks, C.K. Gillen. (The Tom Green Show)
Grimaldi wins cash, credit on 'Gangs Of New York'. (Gangs Of New York)
Lawsuit settlements protect Harvard's trademark, copyright.
Mitnick movie spurs suit. (Cybertraque)
"Boys Don't Cry" lawsuit settled with studio. (Boys Don't Cry)
Court ruling ends Scott's 'Shine' suit. (Shine)
:: 1999 film lawsuits ::
ACLU sues FBI, Justice Dept over Y2K flick. (Military Takeover)
Suit threat splits indie channel from episode. (IFC's Split Screen)
Indie producer David Stutman v. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. (Don's Plum)
Sylvester Stallone, Rogue Marble Prods. v. FM Entertainment, DEM Prods., et al. (The Good Life)
Sarah Luck Pearson v. The Paradigm Agency. (Never Been Kissed)
Orson Welles' daughter files lawsuit over re-edited 'Touch of Evil'. (Touch Of Evil)
:: 1998 film lawsuits ::
Director pursues copyright suit against Guinness agency. (Joy)
Corel sued over image of film star Hedy Lamarr.
Something about 'Mary' has familiar ring. (Something About Mary)
Lloyd Price files suit against makers of 'When We Were Kings.' (When We Were Kings)
Marvin Wolfman v. Marvel Entertainment, New Line Cinema, et al. (Blade)
'Kolya' suit joins 'Shine' in Pandora legal tangles. (Kolya; Shine)
Mark Dunn v. Paramount Pictures. (The Truman Show)
Playwrights v. 'The Full Monty.' (The Full Monty)
Columbia Pictures v. Michael Moore. (Men In Black; The Big One)
PPV to get edited "Devil's Advocate". (The Devil's Advocate)
Barbara Chase-Riboud v. Dreamworks Inc. (Amistad)
Kenneth Kahn vs. Milos Forman, Oliver Stone, et al. (The People vs. Larry Flynt)
:: 1997 film lawsuits ::
'Maguire' gets new kicker on cable. (Jerry Maguire)
Sneaky Business. (Jerry Maguire)
:: 1994 film lawsuits ::
'Philadelphia' story subject of lawsuit. (Philadelphia)
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