M. Night Shyamalan Wins $81 Million Copyright Case
M. Night Shyamalan Wins $81 Million Copyright Case.
Night Shyamalan has been exonerated of all allegations in an $81 million lawsuit that accused him of plagiarizing an independent film for his Apple TV+ series, Servant. A jury reached a unanimous decision in his favor. The verdict was delivered by a federal judge in Riverside, California, following a seven-day trial, which dismissed claims that he had copied narrative elements from Francesca Gregorini’s 2013 film, The Truth About Emanuel.
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Francesca Gregorini, an Italian-born filmmaker, contended that Servant appropriated significant narrative components from her 2013 thriller, The Truth About Emanuel. The film centers on a woman who treats a baby doll as her own child, with a nanny who supports this delusion. Although the indie drama, featuring Jessica Biel and Kaya Scodelario, premiered at Sundance, it underperformed at the box office, earning a mere $226 in Los Angeles and a paltry $9 from a single ticket sale in Philadelphia.
Seeking damages amounting to $81 million, Gregorini asserted that Servant closely replicated her work, specifically referencing a scene in which a nanny faints upon discovering the truth about the doll. In response, Shyamalan testified to counter these allegations, firmly stating that neither he nor his team had ever viewed or been aware of Gregorini’s film prior to the initiation of the lawsuit. In addressing the accusations, Shyamalan remarked “This accusation is the exact opposite of everything I do and everything I try to represent. I would have never allowed it. None of the people that I work with would ever do anything like that.” His attorneys tore the claim apart, insisting that fainting in films was as old as Hollywood itself.
“We’ve all seen it hundreds and hundreds of times,” Shyamalan said. “Hitchcock has done it in Rebecca, Notorious, maybe Saboteur. It’s just a thing no one owns.”
His legal team effectively countered the allegations by emphasizing the essential distinctions between the two productions. "Servant" is characterized as a supernatural thriller that embodies Shyamalan’s distinctive eerie suspense, whereas "The Truth About Emanuel" is classified as a coming-of-age drama devoid of any supernatural elements.
They contended that ownership of a storytelling archetype cannot be claimed by any individual, particularly one that has been employed throughout numerous decades of cinema. As reported by Variety, Judge John F. Walter dismissed the lawsuit in May 2020; however, Gregorini persisted in seeking a trial, which ultimately resulted in a favorable outcome for Shyamalan.
Upon reviewing Gregorini’s film alongside the first three episodes of "Servant," the jury unanimously determined that no copyright infringement had taken place. Shyamalan’s attorney, Brittany Amadi, was forthright in her evaluation, addressing the court directly “She’s seeking $81 million for work she didn’t do.”
Gregorini, conversely, characterized the lawsuit as a battle for creative rights, asserting in her testimony. “I wanted to hold the defendants accountable for what they did and to do my part so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else in my industry ever again.” Shyamalan’s victory is a statement on the blurry lines between inspiration and plagiarism in the film industry.
Originality presents a multifaceted challenge in storytelling, particularly within genres that frequently revisit similar themes. The horror genre, for instance, capitalizes on timeless motifs such as haunted houses, unsettling dolls, and psychological disintegration—elements that are not the exclusive domain of any one creator.
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This situation establishes a precedent, emphasizing that significant thematic similarities do not constitute infringement. With the legal issues surrounding Servant resolved, the two-time Academy Award-nominated director remains ahead of the curve, crafting narratives filled with unexpected developments that captivate Hollywood. Shyamalan's films consistently achieve impressive box office results, as his remarkable talent for intertwining horror with psychological elements has generated over $3.3 billion in global ticket sales. Notably, The Sixth Sense alone amassed $672.8 million worldwide, securing its place as one of the highest-grossing horror films in history.
