TLDR:
– Screenwriter R. Lance Hill is suing Amazon Studios for copyright infringement for refusing to license his 1986 screenplay for the upcoming Road House remake.
– Hill claims Amazon used generative artificial intelligence to replicate the actors’ voices in violation of collective bargaining agreements.
Key Elements:
A legal battle has erupted over the remake of Road House, with screenwriter R. Lance Hill suing Amazon Studios and MGM for copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges that Amazon used generative artificial intelligence to replicate the voices of the actors in the movie, a move that violates collective bargaining agreements with SAG-AFTRA and the Director’s Guild of America.
Hill, under the pseudonym David Lee Henry, claims that he wrote the screenplay on his own volition and is seeking a court order to block the release of the movie. Amazon and MGM deny the allegations, stating that the film does not use AI to replace actors’ voices.
The lawsuit is part of a larger trend of authors reclaiming the rights to their works after waiting a set period, causing turmoil for studios that risk losing franchise rights. Hill’s termination notice to reclaim his screenplay was allegedly ignored by MGM and Amazon, leading to the production of the remake without his consent.
Hill seeks the court to confirm that his screenplay is not a work-made-for-hire, that his termination notice is valid, and that Amazon infringed on his copyright. Director Doug Liman has also criticized Amazon for initially planning to release the movie straight to its streaming platform instead of in theaters, vowing to boycott the premiere.