Walt Disney Co. faces a federal lawsuit over the “Muppet Babies” by the original scriptwriter “who claims the company misused his work for a 2018 reboot of the show” and failed to pay him. A judge agreed that the writer “plausibly argued that Disney had copied at least some protectable elements” of his work, including the nanny character and parts of specific scripts.” The suit further claims the reboot features “foundational elements” such as character traits, running gags, show structures and its nanny character from the original version. The lawsuit also said Scott met with Disney in 2016, where he offered ideas for the reboot that Disney eventually used.
Blumenfeld said that the judge on the case also explained that Disney may have had an implied contract with Scott based on its history of paying him to develop ideas and may have broken it by using his ideas without paying.
Stephen Rothschild of King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, an attorney representing Scott and his bankruptcy trustee Howard Ehrenberg, said Tuesday that his clients were “grateful for the Court’s thoughtful dismantling of Disney’s specious arguments, but disappointed that Disney continues to refuse to acknowledge and pay Mr. Scott.”
– Excerpt from an article for Reuters by Blake Brittain. Read the full article here.
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