LeBron James & Netflix Hit w/ Lawsuit For Allegedly Stealing Movie Script 

LeBron James & Netflix Hit w/ Lawsuit For Allegedly Stealing Movie Script

A screenwriter has come forward with copyright infringement claims against LeBron James, Netflix, and others.

In a 25-page lawsuit filed today (Nov. 14) in a California federal court, Rob Grabow accuses LeBron James, his production company SpringHill, Netflix, and more of stealing his movie script to create the recently released film, Rez Ball.

Grabow says the movie is very similar to a script he wrote for a film titled The Gift of the Game, which follows a Native American high schooler amid his fight to lead his basketball team to a state title. According to the suit,  Grabow shared his script with people close to LeBron, the athlete’s production company, and Netflix, which is apparently how the parties were (allegedly) able to copy his work, bar for bar.

 

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The suit states,

“There are numerous substantially and strikingly similar concrete and expressive elements in the two works’ plot, theme, dialogue, mood, setting, pace, characters and sequence of events.”

It’s important to note that Rez Ball is said to be based on the nonfiction sports novel Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation, by journalist Michael Powell. However, Grabow argues it’s much closer to his story than Powell’s novel.

He’s suing for copyright infringement, breach of contract, and unspecified damages.

Tell us your thoughts on this entire situation in the comments below! 

[VIA]