• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Paramount could have to pay large sum due to Top Gun: Maverick lawsuit

Home> Film & TV

Published 15:52 22 Dec 2022 GMT

Paramount could have to pay large sum due to Top Gun: Maverick lawsuit

It was the summer movie of the year - but it may have come at a costly price.

Ben Thompson

Ben Thompson

Tom Cruise's return to the skies in Top Gun Maverick was a big earner for Paramount pictures, as fans flocked to cinemas to the tune of a $1.49 billion worldwide gross.

However, the sequel to the beloved 80s classic may come at a big cost for the studio as they might potentially end up paying out a lot of money due to a ongoing lawsuit.

The original Top Gun, released in 1986, was based on an article in California magazine written by Ehud Yonay, which followed the lives of fighter pilots in San Diego.

Yonay died in 2012 and the story's copyright went to his wife Shosh and son Yuval in 2020, with US copyright law stating that it reverts back to the creator after 35 years.

The two sued Paramount for copyright infringement in June 2022, shortly after the release of the much awaited sequel.

Advert

The Yonays claimed that Paramount did not obtain a new license to distribute the material and that they had informed the studio of their intentions to reclaim the rights to the original article in 2020.

Speaking to the BBC, the Yonays' lawyer, Marc Toberoff said: "Much as Paramount wants to pretend otherwise, they made a sequel to Top Gun after they lost their copyright."

And in response, Paramount said: "These claims are without merit, and we will defend ourselves vigorously."

Top Gun Maverick earned Paramount over $1 billion at the box office.
Paramount

Advert

The studio previously attempted to have the lawsuit dropped after filing a motion to have the case dismissed in August 2022.

They argued that the sequel's plot had little to do with the contents of the original article and dismissed any similarities in the film.

The studio said: "Any similarity between these vastly different works derives from the fact that Top Gun is an actual naval training facility.

"Elite fighter pilots loving to fly, and being dedicated to their craft and competitive, are facts described in the article. "Plaintiffs do not have a monopoly over these (unremarkable) facts merely because Yonay once reported on them."

Advert

This argument did not convince US District Judge Percy Anderson, however, and he denied Paramount's motion in November.

Anderson wrote: "The Court finds that there are enough alleged similarities between the Article and the Sequel for reasonable minds to differ on the issue of substantial similarity, including the filtering out of unprotected elements."

Paramount

Paramount have insisted they will continue to 'vigorously defend the lawsuit', whilst the Yonays seek unspecified damages from the studio, as well as an injunction that would bar Paramount from profiting off the movie.

Advert

The lawsuit was also changed to include a claim of breach of contract and acknowledgement that the sequel was influenced by Yonay's article, which Paramount have also denied.

Featured Image Credit: Paramount

Topics: Film and TV, Tom Cruise

Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Heartwarming way Val Kilmer ended up starring in Top Gun sequel despite having no voice
  • Tom Cruise breaks silence on Top Gun co-star Val Kilmer’s death with emotional statement
  • Top Gun: Maverick Just Broke Yet Another Record
  • Tom Cruise's Most Critically Acclaimed Film Isn't Top Gun: Maverick

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
13 hours ago
20 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Netflix adds ‘must-see’ $411 million action movie labeled ‘irresistible fun’

    'Epic in every proportion'

    Film & TV
  • 13 hours ago

    Netflix just added a 'masterpiece' movie praised as 'hands down one of the most accurate' films of its kind

    The movie was first released in 2004, but remains a firm favorite among fans

    Film & TV
  • 13 hours ago

    Chadwick Boseman's widow issues warning to young people as subtle signs for colon cancer are revealed

    "We who have this knowledge have an obligation to inform our fellow man."

    Film & TV
  • 20 hours ago

    Netflix is removing '10/10' series that's been watched for 92,300,000 hours

    Fans are gutted to see it go

    Film & TV