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Legal Troubleshooters: Who the Stars Call to Put Out Fires
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Business
Netflix Can’t Escape Defamation Lawsuit Over True Crime Documentary Photo
A photo of plaintiff Taylor Hazlewood, who wasn't involved in the incident the true crime documentary 'The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker' is about, was used by the streamer without his knowledge or consent.
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Business
Gerard Butler’s $10M ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Profits Lawsuit Settles
The actor had claimed in a 2021 lawsuit he hasn't seen a penny in profits from the film, which has spawned two sequels.
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Business
Indie Movie Producer Wonderfilm Sued by ‘Hard Matter’ Partner For Breach of Contract
The Exchange, which marketed the movie for sale, says that Wonderfilm failed to secure insurance and that it had no part in the alleged fraud.
AI Tech Is Now Mainstream. What Could Go Wrong?
Charlie Puth had a problem: He’d written a lyric, “a little ditty,” but didn’t know what to do with those lines. The “Left and Right” singer-songwriter had joined a Google AI incubator program, so he fed the new lyrics into the artificial intelligence-assisted tool “like I would do if I were collaborating with anybody else,” […]
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Hollywood’s AI Compromise: Writers Get Protection, Studios Aim for Copyright
A clearer picture of how studios intend to incorporate artificial intelligence into the screenplay production apparatus is coming into view. More than 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America were given the greenlight on Wednesday to return to work after a vote to accept a tentative deal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and […]
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German Screenwriter Anika Decker Wins Residual Lawsuit Against Til Schweiger, Warner Bros.
In one of Germany’s most closely-watched media cases, a Berlin court on Wednesday ruled in favor of German screenwriter Anika Decker in her residuals suit against Warner Bros. and Barefoot Films, the production company of German star Til Schweiger (Inglourious Basterds). Decker co-wrote the screenplays to Schweiger’s 2007 comedy hit Rabbit Without Ears and its […]
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NBCUniversal Settles ‘Columbo’ Profits Fight
NBCUniversal has reached a deal to resolve a long-running case over back profits it allegedly owes to the creators of Columbo. The heirs of William Link and Richard Levinson have settled their lawsuit against the studio, according to a court notice filed Monday, averting a trial that was scheduled to start next month. Terms of […]
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Hollywood’s Troubleshooters: Who the Stars Call to Put Out Fires and Prevent Future Disasters
Whether it’s defending against criminal charges, negotiating a prenup or suing an employer, having a top-notch lawyer is a must. But when you’re famous and living under the microscope of public scrutiny, it takes a specialist who can navigate the law and the media. Enter The Troubleshooters, the lawyers Hollywood calls when it’s time to […]
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Lizzo Sued by Tour Stylist Over Hostile Work Environment Claim
Lizzo has been sued again for overseeing a hostile work environment, this time by a stylist who says she was subjected to a “culture of racism and bullying” while on tour with the artist. The lawsuit, which the firm representing plaintiffs said was filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses Lizzo and supervisors of […]
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Indie Movie Producer Wonderfilm Sued Over Fraud Claim
Indie production shop Wonderfilm has been sued for fraud and breach of contract in a lawsuit accusing the company and its directors of swindling an investor — which was allegedly led to believe it was financing a Mel Gibson-led film only for the project to never get finished due to a lack of funds — […]
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Top Authors Join Lawsuit Against OpenAI Over “Mass-Scale Copyright Infringement” of Novels
The leading trade group for authors has entered a legal battle against OpenAI over its human-mimicking chatbot in a case that could decide the legality of using copyrighted works to train AI systems. The Authors Guild — led by prominent fiction authors including George R.R. Martin, Jonathan Franzen and John Grisham — on Tuesday sued […]
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Ryan Murphy’s Longtime Lawyer Leaves Firm to Work for Mega-Producer
Hollywood Power Lawyer Craig Emanuel is leaving Paul Hastings to move in-house to work for longtime client Ryan Murphy. Emanuel, who has been a mainstay on THR‘s annual spotlight of the top attorneys in the entertainment industry, has also worked with the likes of Tom Hanks, Daniel Day Lewis, Julie Delpy, Robert Rodriguez, Luke Davies […]
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ChaudhryLaw Taps Top Music Lawyer as Head of Litigation
Priya Chaudhry is bolstering her boutique firm by bringing on entertainment lawyer Jeffrey Movit as head of litigation, creating a one-stop shop for high-stakes criminal and civil matters on both coasts. Chaudhry, a well-known criminal lawyer who’s leading the defense for Creed III star Jonathan Majors on misdemeanor assault and harassment charges in connection with […]
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Nobu Malibu Sued Over Sexual Harassment Claim; Third Lawsuit at That Location Since 2019
Hollywood hotspot Nobu Malibu was sued Sept. 13 by a Jane Doe plaintiff who alleges hostesses are “subjected to an intense pattern and practice” of sexual misconduct from supervisors. According to a review of court documents by The Hollywood Reporter, the lawsuit contains similar claims as at least two others filed against the Malibu location […]
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Stan Lee’s Estate Loses Yearslong Elder Abuse Lawsuit Against Former Attorney on a Technicality
A messy legal battle initiated by Stan Lee’s estate involving accusations of exploitation and elder abuse by the comic book legend’s inner circle has concluded, with an arbitrator siding with Lee’s former attorney that the lawsuit against him was brought too late. The five-year legal saga was sparked by The Hollywood Reporter’s investigation into Lee’s […]
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Fox Shareholders Sue Board for Allegedly Embracing Election Falsehoods in Pursuit of Profits
Fox Corp.’s board of directors has been sued in a lawsuit accusing the company’s directors of adopting an illegal business model centered on chasing profits by intentionally broadcasting falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election. On Tuesday in the Delaware Court of Chancery, New York City’s pension funds filed a lawsuit arguing that Fox’s board members […]
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SEC Files Charges Against NFT Project ‘Stoner Cats’ Starring Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and More
The federal government’s crypto crackdown is hitting Hollywood again — this time targeting a starry animated Web3 series featuring the voices of Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Chris Rock, Jane Fonda, Seth MacFarlane and more. The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday charged the creators of the NFT cartoon series Stoner Cats for an unregistered offering […]
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Authors Sue Meta, OpenAI in Lawsuits Alleging Infringement of Hundreds of Thousands of Novels
Authors are escalating efforts to block artificial intelligence companies from using their copyrighted works to train artificial intelligence systems, this time taking aim at Meta and OpenAI in proposed class-action lawsuits. Michael Chabon and other decorated writers of books and screenplays sued Meta on Tuesday in California federal court, accusing the company of copyright infringement […]
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After Danny Masterson Rape Conviction, ‘That ’70s Show’ Cast and Crew Asked Judge for Leniency
The judge overseeing Danny Masterson’s criminal case handed the actor the maximum allowable sentence, resisting calls from nearly 50 of his family, friends and colleagues to allow him to serve his prison term concurrently rather than consecutively. Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Kurtwood Smith, Debra Jo Rupp and David Trainer — all of whom worked alongside […]
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