Disney Being Sued From Pirates of the Caribbean

[dxer07002]

From TMZ.COM

Lawsuit Over "Pirates of the Caribbean"
Posted Jul 11th 2006 12:15PM by TMZ STAFF

A Hollywood screenwriter is suing pretty much everyone involved with "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl," the first installment of the now record-breaking "Pirates" series.
Royce Mathew claims in the 80s and 90s, he "created and wrote a number of original works including drawings, screenplays, outlines, blueprints, storyboards and other original materials...which he generally entitled "SNPM," standing for 'Super Natural Pirate Movie.'"

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ and filed in United States District Court, Central District of California, Royce alleges he created "various drawings depicting his pirate ship, which he named the Black Pearl, and an original design for a 'medallion,' both of which are are central elements of his screenplay." Royce says he registered the drawings and his screenplay with the U.S. Copyright Office.

Royce says the screenplay contained a blacksmith/swordsman named Will Turner, an eccentric pirate captain and a unique cursed crew whose curse was revealed only in the moonlight. Royce claims the daughter of a British governor named Elizabeth falls in love with Will Turner. In "Pirates of the Caribbean," Orlando Bloom plays Will Turner and Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth Swann, who falls in love with Will Turner.

In the lawsuit, Royce says he shopped his materials between 1991 through 1995 to various defendants, both directly and through the William Morris Agency and Creative Artist Agency. Royce claims his materials were rejected and then the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" was created, allegedly using his work as a blueprint.
The first "Pirates" movie raked in $655 million worldwide.

Royce is suing, among others, The Walt Disney Company, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Touchstone Home Video, Jerry Bruckheimer, Inc., and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Inc. He is asking for unspecified damages and an injunction prohibiting the defendants from publicly displaying the movie.

Royce is also asking that all copies of "Pirates" that the defendants control be impounded.

Although the lawsuit does not mention the two "Pirates" sequels, it does ask the judge to issue an injunction against the first "Pirates" and "other infringing works."

A Disney spokewoman says the suit "has no merit."

Tell this loser to get a life. He just filed his copyrights in 2003... AFTER the first movie... What a lame-o...

Here is a link to his copyright:

http://www.copyright.gov/records/cohm.html

Type in PA-1-204-748 under registration number...

[wmxxmsg]

You would think that this idiot would try to attempt this thing 3 years ago when the first movie was a hit. Now he is doing it right when the sequel is breakin box office records everyday? This guy is a moron.

[jarmitc2032]

Something doesn't seem right.

[dxer07002]

Yea he has been brain dead, high, and living under a rock for the last 3 years.. the fool that he is.

[The_Heat]

A winnar is you!!!!!

[nick.jeschke]

This is one of those losers who waits until something is big and is a huge cultural icon or such, and then claims the original works. And the date of the © (copyright) is 2003. Now, lets think of how long it takes to even get the story line together for a movie...chances are, the movie was in the "thinking stage" years before he made the copyright. It wont hold up unless some crackpot Judge (as much as this guy is) holds it.

Oh, and the fact that the copyright was filed after the movie, just shows he made some sketches and such of a slightly different medallion, black pearl, and such after he saw the movie. Then he would copyright it, saying he made it up years ago. If courts hardly hold up these types of copyright issues with big businesses (like issues between Computer Companies in the past), it wont hold up at all here.

This loser needs to get a life.

[DisneyFREAK91]

Seriously, why don't you do this when it first comes out?!

I remember that some idiot did the same thing to J.K. Rowling after her 6th book premiered and said he came up with the idea of 3 children going to a magic school and everything.

Jeez can't the Earth be rid of them?!

[hillo]

In Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies, the screenwriters of pirates (Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio) talk about that they had the idea for a pirates movie 10 years before the first movie came out. This person has no hope of winning.

[Soccergirl426]

This man is stupid. He probably spent the last 3 years trying to make it seem like he created the idea. Why don't you do this when it first comes out? I think he is lying.

[Maestr034]

Yea had the copyright been done before the movie it would had been easier to swallow but this guy has no case at all.

[ERich2010]

not to be rude. i think this guy IS an idiot. but that link u gave us said he did publish it in '94. i just dont think its fair to be beatin up on a guy who isnt here to defend himself.

[mini-V]

The only person with higher delusions of grandeur than the Hollywood screenwriter is the lawyer who helped this fool draft the lawsuit.

[4Mickey]

Come on guys... let's give this man a break!
I mean... surely NO ONE else has thought of a good pirate story in the last 20 years! He is 100% original. I'm also sure that Disney had no creativity of it's own & had to look for someone else's work. They were so uncreative, they couldn't even think of new names for the characters they were stealing.
Shame on you disney... shame on you.

(for those of you who are unable to read sarcasim, that was it)

[4Mickey]

Technically, couldn't this guy be sued for naming his story "Pirates of the Caribbean"? Wasn't it copyrighted by disney in 1994?

[nick.jeschke]

not to be rude. i think this guy IS an idiot. but that link u gave us said he did publish it in '94. i just dont think its fair to be beatin up on a guy who isnt here to defend himself.

Just because it was "created" in 1994, still does not mean his story has merit. Someone can put that they created a story line in 1985 even if he just wrote it and claim a "revision" or "retype". Its the copyright date itself that counts.

And think about it, if he thinks he wrote such a great story, why would he copyright it (about) eight years and nine months after it was "created". And when it was published, it just so happened to have the same name as the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie that was made 6 months before his copyright was Registered.

Anyways, even if this guy cannot defend himself here, he was the idiot who decided to pull this pathetic stunt to get his "share of the dough" and his 15 Minutes of Fame...which he has been given more than enough.