Variety: Netflix Sued by Another Self-Published Author Who Claims ‘Don’t Look Up’ Stole His Idea

Story from Variety:

One more, and it’s a trend. A second self-published author sued Netflix on Thursday for copyright infringement over “Don’t Look Up,” the 2021 Adam McKay film about a planet-destroying comet.

Darren Hunter, of Harleysville, Pa., claims that the film stole plot, character and thematic elements from his novel “The Million Day Forecast,” which he self-published in 2015.

The suit comes one year after William Collier, of Lafayette Parish, La., filed a similar complaint, alleging that the film was actually based on his 2012 self-published novel, “Stanley’s Comet.” A federal judge dismissed that suit last month, finding that any similarities were too generic to warrant copyright protection. 4-In the new lawsuit, attorney Larry Klayman is seeking more than $3 billion in damages. In a statement, Klayman blasted McKay and his collaborators for their “deceit and greed,” which he said “is unfortunate testament to the current state of some in Hollywood.”

The suit was filed Thursday in state court in Orlando, Fla. The complaint runs through a litany of alleged similarities between “Million Day Forecast” and “Don’t Look Up,” including that both feature young, determined female protagonists who must warn the world of a looming catastrophe.

“The themes of apocalyptic political satire, dark comedy, and the challenges of mobilizing collective action in the face of imminent danger are central to both works,” the lawsuit states. “These undeniable similarities indicate that the movie has taken key literary elements from the book without Plaintiff’s consent and authorization.”

The lawsuit alleges 34 causes of action, including copyright infringement, false advertising and violations of the Florida unfair trade practices law.

Netflix did not immediately respond for comment.

Hunter’s author page on Amazon states that he decided to write “Million Day Forecast,” “after being visited from a strange being who said they were from the galaxy Centaurus A.” (Klayman says this is satire.)

The suit alleges that he distributed his book to “various individuals and entities within the entertainment industry,” including some connected to the filmmakers, though it does not identify those people.

The Florida Bar is currently seeking to suspend Klayman’s law license for two years, based on misconduct findings that led to his suspension in Washington, D.C. Klayman is challenging the recommendation of Judge James Lee Marsh — who served as a referee in the case, and whom Klayman called “biased and partisan” — at the Florida Supreme Court.