Ice Cube's new movie "Lottery Ticket" doesn't come out for another week, but there's already a legal fight over the flick from a screenwriter who claims his agent ripped off his idea and gave it to another one of his clients.
The man filing the lawsuit is Tom Huang, who once wrote an episode of "The Mullets" back in 2003.
According to legal documents, Huang claims he came up with an idea for a movie back in 2004, wrote a "treatment" for it. He later talked it over with his agent Brad Kaplan.
But in the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in L.A. County Superior Court, Huang claims Kaplan "stole" the idea and gave it to one of his clients named Erik White, who went on to write and direct "Lottery Ticket."
Huang claims "Lottery Ticket" ripped off all sorts of elements from his movie, including "detailed plot elements, characters, and scenes." Huang is suing for an undisclosed amount, but states in the lawsuit that he believes "Lottery Ticket" will rake in millions, so it's safe to say he's gonna want a ton of cash.
In the docs, Huang claims that the agent Brad Kaplan denies any wrongdoing and believes White "created the story" for Lottery Ticket.
I gotta say, this story kinda makes me laugh. Do you know how many people have come up with the idea of a movie about a guy who wins the lottery?
I mean really. We have seen it before, many times before. Many people think about it. It's just a laugh. I hope the courts have fun.
It's Been 6 Yrs.... If U Had Waited A Lil Bit Longer "I Might Have Written A Movie About It!" lol
Sometimes this kinda stuff pays off.
George Harrison lost a case like this when the court ruled he "subconsciously" stole a 1963 song from the Chiffons called "He's So Fine" and made it into "My Sweet Lord" back in the 70's.
There's always somebody looking for a big, easy payday and hordes of scoundrels lawyers willing to assist them.
They say a Lawyer is paid to "LIE" for his client........Hey I can do my own LYING without him.....save a bundle of money.....and WIN the CASE!!!!
Maybe, but it wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. Hopefully he registered his treatment with the WGA. If he did, it'll be just like HE won an actual lottery.
What if everything Mr. Huang claims is true and proven in a court of law? In your opinion, how much should he receive and why? I know that Mr. Huang's suit is not unique, so how does one go about presenting and proving any wrongdoing in a case such as this? I suspect that Mr. Huang must have some convincing evidence to back his claim if he found an attorney to represent him.
They'll likely settle before it goes to court.
But yeah, the basic story is so original that I'm sure it's only been repeated here a hundred times, at least in part by stories or other posters.
Ok, I've seen and heard Hollywood ripping of pass movies and scrips with my own two eyes.
Its what makes-up the scrip that counts. This happens all the time and is very sad for the stuggling writers who
hardly gets any top pay. I could not believe it when I saw Hollywood ripping off ideas of people, the plot and all
the important details. Also, it happen all the time in music.
Since this movie tanked at the box office, I would think the writer would be happy his agent stole the idea,lol. Who wants to be associated with a bomb? But I guess he needed that other writing credit to go along with his "Mullets" episode to flesh out the old resume. Hmmm......anyone need a writer for cheap? Call Huang!
Was thinking the same thing...the story has been repeated many times here and abroad.....
Ridge brought up the "He's so Fine"/"My Sweet Lord" controversy.....what about the
Vanilla Ice "Ice Ice Baby"/Queen-David Bowie "Under Pressure" controversy?.....
oh wait.....they were the same song.....