Creators of ‘The Purge’ hit with copyright lawsuit

When ideas are stolen in the entertainment industry, a lawsuit often ensues. In the case of a film that has generated a significant amount of revenue, the losses can potentially be great for the party that has been infringed upon. Those who create works of intellectual property should take the steps necessary to safeguard their hard work and valuable ideas from possible infringement. 

It was reported recently that the creators of the movie The Purge have been accused of copyright infringement. According to an article in the Hollywood Reporter, a screenwriter named Douglas Jordan-Benel claims that the movie is based off of a screenplay he had written. 

As the Hollywood Reporter points out, it can be difficult to prove a copyright claim like this one in court. If an idea is found to be overly generic, it is unlikely that it will hold up in court. In a similar fashion, if a patent is found to be generic, it too will also likely fail to hold its ground in an infringement case. Cases like these require more specific evidence showing that unique ideas and concepts were stolen. 

Alleged theft of screenplay ideas is a frequent occurrence in the entertainment industry. When a screenwriter sends a screenplay to a production company, often a successful film comes out years later, and a writer may claim that the idea for the film came from a screenplay they had once submitted. However, to determine the validity of such a claim, it may be up to a court to decide whether there are enough similarities between the screenplay and the movie. 

Regardless of the industry, every business benefits from the proper legal protections. Contact a Phoenix, AZ small business attorney to learn more. 

Categorised in: Intellectual Property Law

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