Recently, Paramount asked the court to throw out a lawsuit. The lawsuit says that the movie “Top Gun: Maverick” ignores copyright of a 1983 magazine article. It also says that the magazine article was the main source of material and ideas for the original “Top Gun” film.
The writer of the 1983 magazine article, Ehud Yonay, is now deceased. His son, Shosh Yonay, and his wife, Yuval Yonay, registered the lawsuit in June. They say that Paramount made the new film without authorization.
Paramount argues that the movie studio doesn’t need authorization because “Top Gun: Maverick” is a fiction story and has nothing in common with the nonfiction magazine article. It also says that facts in an article or story cannot be copyrighted.
The movie studio’s lawyers say that anything similar between the movie and the magazine article is because Top Gun is a real pilot school.
For the original “Top Gun” film in 1986, Paramount did get authorization from Yonay.
In the lawsuit, Shosh and Yuval Yonay describe all of the similarities between the magazine article and “Top Gun: Maverick.” On the other hand, Paramount makes all of the dissimilarities clear.
The Yonays are asking that Paramount not profit from the film. They are also asking for damages. A court session is scheduled for September 26.
“Top Gun: Maverick” has earned $1.4 billion worldwide.
VOCABULARY
- Court – an agency or part of government with judges who decide what is right or wrong
- Lawsuit – a complaint or disagreement that you bring to a court
- Ignore – disregard; to not pay attention to; to refuse to notice or look at
- Copyright – ©; protection from someone copying your work
- Source – origin; where something comes from; the original; a reference
- Deceased – dead; not alive
- Register – to officially enter or record; to apply for; to sign up; to join
- Authorization – permission; approval; consent; someone says you can do it
- Argue – to strongly say; to explain; to give reasons
- Fiction – not true or invented story; a story that never happened
- in common – to be similar; share; to be the same
- Lawyer – a person who studies and works with laws; attorney; solicitor
- On the other hand – a phrase to show contrast; to express an opposite idea or opinion
- Similarity – to be similar; to have similar features or qualities
- Profit – to earn extra money; to have financial gain
- Damages – money you get if you are hurt or suffer loss; compensation; “award” money
- Earn – to get money for service or work; get; receive; collect
Original story from Variety below:
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- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
