13 Movies That Were Sued into Oblivion
![13 Movies That Were Sued into Oblivion](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/4/5/8/903458_320x180.jpg)
Whether these movies “borrowed from” or were “inspired by” some previous works or not, they still found themselves on the business end of a lawsuit. Time to activate the best lawyer your studio can afford, and plead your case. And from the looks of these cases, the thievery claims aren’t always about the story itself. Architects, sculptors, and tattoo artists are on the lookout for their work in your work, so don’t just go filming any old prop, set dressing, or design.
Oh, and if your movie is “based on true events,” you might want to check in with any still-living people you’d like to portray. They might have some serious objections to the light you’ve cast them in. They say that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission, but when forgiveness ends up costing you millions of dollars, maybe permission really was the easier (and cheaper) route. Look, we’re just trying to save you some serious legal headaches here. We’ve done the research, and we just don’t want to see your project among these 13 movies that were sued into oblivion.
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Borat
![CRACKED BORAT was sued by... Well, everyone. The villagers of Glod, Romania sued for implying they were incestuous. The two frat bros in the van scene sued for defamation, and Jeffrey Lemmerond sued for using his image. Artist Esma Redžepova was the only winner. She claimed her song was used without permission, and was awarded €26,000 out of her €800,000 lawsuit.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/8/902698.jpg)
20th Century Studios
We had a deal, Walt!
![CRACKED Black Widow sued BLACK WIDOW. The day of its release, it was streamed on Disney+, but Scarlett Johansson was supposed to get a cut of the box office sales. She claimed that having it available in peoples' homes decreased ticket sales, and sued Disney. They settled out of court.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/7/902707.jpg)
Marvel Studios
We knew it was derivative, but eight separate lawsuits?!
![CRACKED AVATAR was sued by six separate writers and two artists. Six writers claimed that Cameron stole aspects of their stories, including a $1 billion copyright claim from Bryant Moore. Artists William Roger Dean and Gerald Morawski both alleged Cameron ripped off their visuals. Cameron won every lawsuit.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/5/902695.jpg)
20th Century Studios
And after all those safety precautions…
![CRACKED Paramount gave an extra injured shooting TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON $18.5 million. In 2010, extra Gabriella Cedillo was seriously injured by a bracket that became dislodged from a stunt car, and she suffered permanent brain damage. Her family sued and settled for $18.5 million.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/6/902706.jpg)
Paramount Pictures
Black Swan
![CRACKED Two interns successfully sued BLACK SWAN. After a five-year battle with Fox, the unpaid interns won their claim that the movie asked them to do non- educational work. It became a landmark case that changed the practice of paying interns in Hollywood.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/5/902705.jpg)
Searchlight Pictures
12 Monkeys, 1 lost lawsuit.
![CRACKED 12 MONKEYS legally had to include an inspired by credit. The set of the interrogation scene was so similar to architect Lebbeus Woods' Neomechanical Tower (Upper) Chamber, that he sued and won a high six- figure settlement. The credits now state that the interrogation room was inspired by his work.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/4/902704.jpg)
Universal Pictures
The highest grossing animated films of all time are rip-offs!
![CRACKED Disney's FROZEN ripped off a short film. Kelly Wilson's short The Snowman was almost entirely copied for the Frozen trailer. She submitted it to Disney as a job application, and sued them for ripping off the plot, themes, dialogue, mood, setting, and characters. They settled out of court.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/9/902699.jpg)
Disney,
Kelly Wilson
Take a joke, Paul!
![CRACKED AMERICAN HUSTLE was sued for microwave misinformation. The movie quotes Paul Brodeur in saying that microwaves zap food of its nutrition. Brodeur claimed that he never said that, and sued for $1 million. A California court stated that the movie was a farce, and the line wasn't meant as a serious claim.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/2/902702.jpg)
Columbia Pictures
The Hangover Part II
![CRACKED THE HANGOVER PART II stole a tattoo artist's design. When Ed Helms' character gets Mike Tyson's exact face tattoo, they didn't ask artist S. Victor Whitmill for permission to use his original design. Не sued the production and instead of digitally altering his face in post, they settled out of court.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/3/902703.jpg)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Surprisingly, not for devil-related content.
![CRACKED A cathedral sued THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. Sculptor Frederick Hart noticed that a sculpture looked suspiciously like his Ex Nihilo on Washington's Episcopal Cathedral, so he and the Cathedral sued Warner Bros. They settled out of court, and the movie made digital edits.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/0/902700.jpg)
Warner Bros.
Jaime Ciero sadly had to let it go. (Sorry).
![Another borrowed heavily suit against FROZEN. Arguably the biggest song in Disney history, Let It Go was heavily influenced by Chilean artist Jaime Ciero's song Volar. Не sued for copyright infringement, but the statute of limitations had run out, and the case was dismissed. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/7/902697.jpg)
Disney
Straight Outta Compton
![CRACKED Jerry Heller sued om CTV STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON for his villainous depiction. Не claimed that the N.W.A biopic portrayed him as causing their breakup, and used his name and likeness without permission. Не filed a lawsuit in 2015, but died 11 months later. His lawyer insinuated that the movie caused his fatal heart attack.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/0/1/902701.jpg)
Universal Pictures
I said I didn’t want to be in it! Like, at all!
![CRACKED George McFly sued BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II Crispin Glover refused to be in the second film, so they used prosthetics to make Jeffrey Weissman look like him. Не won $760,000, and the case has often been referenced in disputes over animated/ holographic depictions of real people.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/6/902696.jpg)
Universal Pictures