Paramount Pictures Is Being Sued Over 'Top Gun' Copyright Claim
By the widow and son of the man who wrote the 1983 article that inspired the franchise.
As Top Gun: Maverick continues to soar to new heights at the box office, its production studio has recently picked up a new lawsuit.
Paramount Pictures is reportedly being sued by the widow and the son of the man who wrote the original 1983 article that inspired the first Top Gun. The Yonay family is suing the studio due to copyright claims and has filed a complaint with the California federal court. The suit calls out Paramount for not reacquiring the rights to the story before releasing the new Top Gun: Maverick film in May.
A spokesperson for Paramount Pictures says the claims “are without merit, and we will defend ourselves vigorously.” The lawsuit also states that Paramount Pictures has known about the issue since 2018 when the Yonays filed to reclaim the copyright of the story in 2020. Under the Copyright Act, the author has the right to terminate transfers of copyright after 35 years. It remains to be seen if the lawsuit will affect the film’s distribution down the line.
In other entertainment news, Todd Phillips has officially announced the next Joker sequel with Joaquin Phoenix.
