Walt Disney Co was sued on Tuesday by a longtime Hollywood screenwriter and producer who accused the studio of copying its blockbuster, Oscar-winning animated film "Zootopia" from his work without permission.
Gary Goldman, whose credits include the Arnold Schwarzenegger film "Total Recall" and Tom Cruise film "Minority Report," filed his copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
He said Disney replicated, sometimes "virtually verbatim," the themes, settings, plot, characters and dialogue, as well as the title, of his "Zootopia" concept, which he had pitched to the studio in 2000 and 2009.
Disney and its affiliates embrace "a culture that not only accepts the unauthorised copying of others' original material, but encourages it," the lawsuit said. "They did it with 'Zootopia,' too, when they copied Gary L. Goldman's 'Zootopia.'"
In a statement, Disney said: "Mr. Goldman's lawsuit is riddled with patently false allegations. It is an unprincipled attempt to lay claim to a successful film he didn't create, and we will vigorously defend against it in court."
"Zootopia" has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide since its release a year ago, and last month won the Academy Award for best animated feature film.
The film explores bias through the comedic story of a rabbit, voiced by the actress Ginnifer Goodwin, who leaves her rural hometown to join a big-city police force in an animal metropolis where prejudice and fear divide residents.
Byron Howard, the film's co-director, said in accepting the Oscar that the development of "Zootopia" had begun about five years earlier, "in hopes when the film came out it would make the world just a slightly better place."
Goldman, through his company Esplanade Productions Inc, is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, including from merchandise sales, reflecting what he called Disney's "wanton, deliberate, malicious, and willful misconduct."
Jeffery McFarland, a lawyer for Goldman, declined additional comment, as did an outside spokesman for Goldman.
The case is Esplanade Productions Inc v Walt Disney Co et al, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. 17-02185.
Reuters
Wed Mar 22 2017
The characters of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde pose at the premiere of "Zootopia" at El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California, February 17, 2016. - REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
Harimau Muda kurang 'kerja rumah' hadapi Piala Asia B-23 2024 - Penganalisis
Menerusi pemerhatian di laman media sosial, timbul cakap-cakap netizen yang lebih terarah kepada perjalanan kesemua pemain negara kendalian Juan Torres Garrido ke Qatar sekadar 'makan angin'.
UMNO aktifkan 'war room' bantu calon Kerajaan Perpaduan - Ahmad
Ahmad berkata UMNO juga akan melaksanakan kempen bagi membantu calon berkenaan dengan bersungguh-sungguh.
Pelepasan air terawat Fukushima digantung kerana terputus elektrik
Pelepasan air radioaktif terawat ke laut dari loji janakuasa nuklear Fukushima yang lumpuh digantung pada Rabu berikutan gangguan bekalan elektrik separa, kata pengendali loji itu.
Prabowo rasmi diisytihar Presiden Indonesia
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum (KPU) secara rasmi akan mengisytiharkan Prabowo Subianto sebagai Presiden Indonesia dipilih, dalam satu majlis pada Rabu, seperti yang dijadualkan.
Jerman-UNRWA mungkin bekerjasama semula
Kerajaan Jerman merancang untuk menjalinkan kerjasama dengan agensi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu bagi pelarian Palestin (UNRWA). Ia susulan daripada kontroversi yang mendakwa anggota petugas UNRWA terlibat dalam serangan di Gaza yang berlaku pada 7 Oktober tahun lalu.
Ini panggilan daripada Allah SWT - Dr Sharifah Mazlina
Ketua Misi Ekspedisi Wanita Berkumpulan ke Antartika, Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir yang merupakan salah seorang peserta dari Malaysia bagi misi Break The Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla menyifatkan penglibatannya dalam misi berkenaan sebagai satu panggilan yang ditentukan Allah.
Tujuh ditahan polis dalam serbuan 'keganasan' Australia
Polis Australia menahan tujuh individu yang menimbulkan risiko dan ancaman kepada orang ramai selepas melakukan serbuan antikeganasan membabitkan lebih 400 pegawainya, pada Rabu.
[TERKINI] UM diminta siasat, sedia laporan segera
Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT) mengambil maklum dan memandang serius isu yang berlaku berhubung tindakan seorang penceramah warga asing mengeluarkan kenyataan yang dilihat mencetuskan kontroversi dan tidak menghormati sentimen masyarakat seperti tular di media sosial.
Astro AWANI dinobat adaptasi AI dalam pemberitaan terbaik di pentas Asia
Astro AWANI dinobat sebagai pemenang Anugerah Digital Media Awards 2024 bagi kategori adaptasi Teknologi Kecerdasan Buatan (AI) dalam pemberitaan terbaik di rantau Asia.
MITI optimis prestasi perdagangan lebih baik pada 2024
Tengku Zafrul menjelaskan, MITI juga memperbaharui fokusnya dengan berpaksikan kepada empat tunjang utama iaitu ekonomi, kelestarian, rakyat dan inovasi.