Skyline could face a lawsuit from Sony due to similarities with Battle: Los Angeles
A lawsuit hasn't been filed yet, but the site is reporting that Sony is considering taking legal action against Universal and Relativity Media due to the similar themes of both films. Skyline directors Greg Strause and Colin Strause are at the center of this potential legal battle, since Sony hired the brothers' visual effects company Hydraulix to work on Battle: Los Angeles and apparently the brothers never informed Sony that they were making their own alien-invasion film, Skyline.
Sony hired Greg and Colin in early 2009 to work on Battle: Los Angeles. The issue seems to be whether or not their access to Battle: Los Angeles materials such as the script and storyboard images formed the initial basis for Skyline. Sony claims that, at the very least, Greg and Colin should have informed the studio of their intentions to make Skyline.
While both Sony and Relativity Media declined comment for the story, a rep for the Strause's released a brief statement.
"Any claims of impropriety are completely baseless. This is a blatant attempt by Sony to force these independent filmmakers to move a release date that has long been set by Universal and Relativity and is outside the filmmakers' control."
We'll be sure to keep you posted with any further developments on this potential lawsuit regarding Skyline and Battle: Los Angeles as soon as we have more information.
Skyline was released November 12th, 2010 and stars Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Crystal Reed, Neil Hopkins, David Zayas, Donald Faison, Robin Gammell. The film is directed by Colin Strause, Greg Strause.
Battle: Los Angeles was released March 11th, 2011 and stars Aaron Eckhart, Ramon Rodriguez, Cory Hardrict, Gino Anthony Pesi, Ne-Yo, James Hiroyuki Liao, Bridget Moynahan, Noel Fisher. The film is directed by Jonathan Liebesman.
Comments (26)
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The Narrator: The Better Man
Haha, sounds like a solid plan.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
ZanyZap
Everyone loves a good lawsuit. I say, wait for the film's release, see which one is better, and then discredit the other. ::bangs gavel::
2 years agoby @zanyzapFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
Well, in all honesty, the Strause bros. should have notified Sony of their involvement with Universal in a competing alien flick. Maybe not something to sue over, but it's a possibility the Strause Bros. could have stolen a few ideas from the Battle L.A. script, and applied it to their own film, prior to production (i.e. last minute changes). So I can understand the predicament.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
MovieWiz001
Well, it's just like 1998. Deep Impact, Armageddon.
2 years agoby @moviewiz001Flag
RojoDiablo
Both looked to be good "popcorn" flicks for sure and even though I can't stand Sony, I can see where the brothers should have known this issue was coming a while back!
2 years agoby @rojodiabloFlag
ed_wood
Both movies look cool so I hope their release dates don't get moved.
2 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
moviegeek
@cartman It was a joke. I've seen that comic before. In all reality, no films execpt the very first ones made are fully original of one another.
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
clinton
Wow, these directors always get into bad luck :| lol
2 years agoby @clintonFlag
Err
@ohthefilmnerd: HA!
i kinda liked that movie though, aside from the teeny-bopper b-plot which was suck.
2 years agoby @err2005Flag
Err
i don't know why i keep forgetting battle:LA is an alien movie, i keep thinking it's an illegal alien movie.
(i'm totally not kidding either)
2 years agoby @err2005Flag
incmob
so which studio is going to sue cameron for avatar then?
2 years agoby @incmobFlag
OhTheFilmNerd
karma has hit them for doing a bad job with AVPR
2 years agoby @ohthefilmnerdFlag
The Boondock Saint
I'd rather see skyline over battle los angeles. although both due look interesting
2 years agoby @combatmadness360Flag
Escapist
I'd rather watch Skyline anyways.
2 years agoby @escapistFlag
edboy4926
Come on, stop this stuff let both movies on their release dates and don't cancel any of those, both look good movies.
2 years agoby @edboy49Flag
The Soylent Green Monkey
They both just sound like ripoffs to me.
Same old hullabaloo.
2 years agoby @soylentgreen2Flag
Diaigma
Look, guys. ALL stories are inspired by previous ones. Storytelling is an ever progressing and evolving art. It's called "The 7 Stories" theory. There's also The Collective Unconscious, where several similar stories come to light in close succession. Nothing wrong with taking an old concept and weaving a different pattern, so long as it's not downright plagiarism.
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
Spongebob_Boxofficepants
Universal Pictures is pretty in trouble they are the lowest grossing studio of The Big 6 Studios,I think Summit might be the new major film studio of the Big 6!
2 years agoby @spongebob-boxofficepantsFlag
Spongebob_Boxofficepants
filmmakers this days they can't think any original films w/o being inspired by other films!
2 years agoby @spongebob-boxofficepantsFlag
Spongebob_Boxofficepants
well this is a coincidence when will Friday the 13yh curse ends?
2 years agoby @spongebob-boxofficepantsFlag
Cartman
@moviegeek - You are wrong again,.. Disney can file a suit against Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. Inception plot was actually stolen from Uncle Scrooge comic!! and Nolan accepted he stole the idea and developed his own story line around it!! The link for the comic is http://disneycomics.free.fr/Ducks/Rosa/show.php?s=date&loc=D2002-033 ie., the true inception... So not even Nolan was true lately!!
2 years agoby @c-a-r-t-m-a-nFlag
Diaigma
Bogus. Universal has been hard up for a success for a while now (Desp*cable me - the exception). Don't be cheap and run them further into the ground, Sony :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
ejk1
I think this is ridiculous.
2 years agoby @ejk1Flag
moviegeek
If there was a lawsuitfiled against every movie that was remiscent of something else... Everyone would have to watch Inception for the rest of time lol
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
Phillip Wilcox
@dan1 Haha yeah that's pretty much what i'm thinkin.
2 years agoby @phillip-wilcoxFlag
Dan
All I can say is 'lol'.
2 years agoby @dan1Flag