Did 'Fear the Walking Dead' Steal Its Concept from a Comic-Book Writer?
by EG
It's not at all unusual for a writer to frivolously file a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement by the producers of successful movies or TV series. There's at least one reason to believe, however, that such a lawsuit recently filed against the creators of Fear The Walking Dead might have some merit. Read on and decide for yourself if you think the writer in question has a case.
Via Page Six.
AMC are embroiled in yet another big bucks legal battle involving the lucrative “The Walking Dead” franchise, but this time Frank Darabont doesn’t have anything to do with it, at least not yet.
The cable network, “TWD” creator Robert Kirkman and his Skybound shingle, Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment and executive producer David Alpert are all among those named in a copyright suit from Mel Smith that says the second season of “Fear The Walking Dead” was lifted from his “Dead Ahead” comic series.
“Within the last three years, defendants, and each of them, infringed plaintiff’s copyright in ‘DEAD AHEAD’ by, among other things, broadcasting or otherwise exploiting the second season of ‘FEAR THE WALKING DEAD,’ ” says the succinct complaint filed in federal court in California this week (read it here). “Portions of that season’s 13 episodes were copied from plaintiff’s copyrighted literary work ‘DEAD AHEAD.'”
Like most dead letter office rip-off claims, Smith is seeking a wide array of damages and a jury trial. Unlike most dead letter office rip-off claims, Smith says that “FearTWD” EP and Kirkman biz partner Alpert used to be his “agent representative for the purposes of consulting with motion picture and television studios on the use or exploitation of ‘DEAD AHEAD.'”
Get the rest of the story at Page Six.
Do you think FTWD stole its plot line? Sound off in the comments below.