An appeals court ruled on Wednesday that “The Pitt” is similar enough to “ER” to allow Michael Crichton’s widow to pursue a lawsuit over the Emmy-winning show.
\n\nIn a unanimous opinion, a three-judge panel denied an appeal from Warner Bros. Television, which has argued that the two shows are unrelated.
\n\n“There are clear and numerous similarities between ‘The Pitt’ and ‘ER,” the court ruled, citing the emergency room setting, the fast pace, the medical jargon, the graphic depictions of injuries, and a young, incompetent doctor fresh from medical school. “We find the details here suffice for a prima facie case.”
\n\nThe appeals court did dismiss a claim against key creators of the show — Noah Wyle, John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill — finding no evidence that they were aware they could be violating Crichton’s contractual rights.
\n\nCrichton was a creator of “ER,” which was based on a 1974 script he wrote about his experiences as a medical student. His contract with Warner Bros. Television included a “frozen rights” provision blocking the studio from making any spinoffs or reboots without his approval.
\n\nSherri Crichton, his widow, filed the suit in August 2024, months before “The Pitt” debuted, alleging that Wells…
Original source: https://variety.com/v/tv/