*** BAKER’S DOZEN – Theatrical Litigation CLOSED ****

1) Ghost Busters (1984) – Dan Ackroyd did not know that there had been a TV series, Ghost Busters (1975) with similar name/concept when he wrote the original story. After the movie’s release had been announced, the producers found out. They were able to reach an agreement to stop the suit.
2) Northern Exposure (1990-1995) - Writer Sandy Veith sued Universal City Studios for stealing his concept for the show. A jury awarded Veith $7.3 million in damages, finding that Universal breached its contract with Veith. The jury's decision was based on the similarity of the shows' premises and the fact that some of the same Universal executives worked on both shows. After Veith's lawsuit, Universal asked Brand and Falsey to create a show based on Veith's concept, without admitting the origin of the idea. Brand and Falsey quit the show in protest, but were never sued.

1) Ghost Busters (1984) – Dan Ackroyd did not know that there had been a TV series, Ghost Busters (1975) with similar name/concept when he wrote the original story. After the movie’s release had been announced, the producers found out. They were able to reach an agreement to stop the suit.
2) Northern Exposure (1990-1995) - Writer Sandy Veith sued Universal City Studios for stealing his concept for the show. A jury awarded Veith $7.3 million in damages, finding that Universal breached its contract with Veith. The jury's decision was based on the similarity of the shows' premises and the fact that some of the same Universal executives worked on both shows. After Veith's lawsuit, Universal asked Brand and Falsey to create a show based on Veith's concept, without admitting the origin of the idea. Brand and Falsey quit the show in protest, but were never sued.
3. American History X (1998) - Kaye attempted to remove his name from the film credits, applying for various pseudonyms, including "Humpty Dumpty", a request that the Directors Guild of America (DGA) refused. Kaye subsequently filed a $200 million lawsuit against DGA and New Line Cinema, although the case was dismissed in 2000. Kaye disowned the film, describing the released version, which was 24 minutes longer than his own cut, as a "total abuse of creativity" and "crammed with shots of everyone crying in each other's arms".

1) Ghost Busters (1984) – Dan Ackroyd did not know that there had been a TV series, Ghost Busters (1975) with similar name/concept when he wrote the original story. After the movie’s release had been announced, the producers found out. They were able to reach an agreement to stop the suit.
2) Northern Exposure (1990-1995) - Writer Sandy Veith sued Universal City Studios for stealing his concept for the show. A jury awarded Veith $7.3 million in damages, finding that Universal breached its contract with Veith. The jury's decision was based on the similarity of the shows' premises and the fact that some of the same Universal executives worked on both shows. After Veith's lawsuit, Universal asked Brand and Falsey to create a show based on Veith's concept, without admitting the origin of the idea. Brand and Falsey quit the show in protest, but were never sued.
3. American History X (1998) - Kaye attempted to remove his name from the film credits, applying for various pseudonyms, including "Humpty Dumpty", a request that the Directors Guild of America (DGA) refused. Kaye subsequently filed a $200 million lawsuit against DGA and New Line Cinema, although the case was dismissed in 2000. Kaye disowned the film, describing the released version, which was 24 minutes longer than his own cut, as a "total abuse of creativity" and "crammed with shots of everyone crying in each other's arms".
4) Back to the Future Part II (1989) - After being replaced following a salary dispute, Crispin Glover (George McFly) sued Universal Pictures because they made up the replacement actor with prosthetics to look exactly like Glover. Universal had to pay Glover $760,000, and the Screen Actors Guild now has a rule that an actor cannot be disguised in the image of another actor.

5. Seinfeld (1989-1998) - 1. Michael Costanza, a college pal of Jerry's, sued, saying that George was based on him and defamed his character. He lost. (It is well known that George is based on Larry David. Michael was just the inspiration for the name.) 2. Kenny Kramer, Larry David's one-time neighbor and the inspiration for the character (in more ways than just the name) did make a list of demands that were, at least in part, met, and almost certainly involved a cash payment, a lawsuit was avoided.

1) Ghost Busters (1984)
2) Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
3. American History X (1998)
4) Back to the Future Part II (1989)
5. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
6. It Ends With Us (2024) - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/01/blake-lively-sues-justin-baldoni-alleging-harassment-and-smear-campaign-ntwnfb

1) Ghost Busters (1984)
2) Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
3. American History X (1998)
4) Back to the Future Part II (1989)
5. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
6. It Ends With Us (2024) - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/01/blake-lively-sues-justin-baldoni-alleging-harassment-and-smear-campaign-ntwnfb
7. Black Widow - Scarlett Johansen was offered a percentage of the box office. Disney released the film on streaming services early which reduced her take. She sued for the lost income.

1) Ghost Busters (1984)
2) Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
3. American History X (1998)
4) Back to the Future Part II (1989)
5. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
6. It Ends With Us (2024)
7. Black Widow (2021)
8. The Rockford Files (1974-1980) James Garner's lawsuit helped expose Hollywood's "creative accounting" whereby movies and TV shows that earned a fortune would be deemed to have lost money, so as to ripoff actors who had a percentage of the profits in their contracts.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/james-garner-a-lawyer-reflects-720549/

1. Ghost Busters (1984)
2. Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
3. American History X (1998)
4) Back to the Future Part II (1989)
5. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
6. It Ends With Us (2024)
7. Black Widow (2021)
8. The Rockford Files (1974-1980) James Garner's lawsuit helped expose Hollywood's "creative accounting" whereby movies and TV shows that earned a fortune would be deemed to have lost money, so as to ripoff actors who had a percentage of the profits in their contracts.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/james-garner-a-lawyer-reflects-720549/
9. Lockout (2012) John Carpenter successfully sued Luc Besson's production company Europacorp for the film plagiarizing Escape from New York.
https://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/john-carpenter-sued-luc-besson-lockout/