Tom Cruise in a still from Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
Highlights
- Hollywood star Tom Cruise has been hit with USD 1 billion lawsuit for alleged copyright infringement.
- Timothy Patrick McLanahan, who filed the suit in December, claims his script idea was stolen for 2011's film Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. He named Cruise, Brad Grey, Paramount Pictures and 10 others as defendants, reported Ace Showbiz.
- In the document, screenwriter McLanahan claims he wrote a script titled Head On in 1998 and pitched it to the William Morris Agency, but he was told "that they could not use the script as a movie."
- He alleged that his script was passed to Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents Cruise, and that was how they stole his idea.
- "I immediately recognised that the scripts for this movie had been illegally written and produced from Head On's 1998 copyright," he claimed.
- "Because the Ghost Protocol film generated close to USD 1 billion, I am asking for this amount in damages," he added. McLanahan, however, does not provide any examples of similarities in his lawsuit.
- Cruise's lawyer Bert Fields has denied the accusation. "Tom Cruise has never stolen anything from anyone. This bizarre lawsuit against 13 people will be quickly dismissed by the court," he said.
Hollywood star Tom Cruise hasbeen hit with USD 1 billion lawsuit for alleged copyrightinfringement.
Timothy Patrick McLanahan, who filed the suit inDecember, claims his script idea was stolen for 2011's film
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. He named Cruise, BradGrey, Paramount Pictures and 10 others as defendants, reportedAce Showbiz.
In the document, screenwriter McLanahan claims he wrote ascript titled
Head On in 1998 and pitched it to the WilliamMorris Agency, but he was told "that they could not use thescript as a movie."
He alleged that his script was passed to Creative ArtistsAgency (CAA), which represents Cruise, and that was how theystole his idea.
"I immediately recognised that the scripts for this moviehad been illegally written and produced from Head On's 1998copyright," he claimed.
"Because the
Ghost Protocol film generated close to USD1 billion, I am asking for this amount in damages," he added.McLanahan, however, does not provide any examples ofsimilarities in his lawsuit.
Cruise's lawyer Bert Fields has denied the accusation."Tom Cruise has never stolen anything from anyone. Thisbizarre lawsuit against 13 people will be quickly dismissedby the court," he said.