Paramount Avoids 'Maverick' Copyright Infringement Claim

Paramount will not face a lawsuit from a writer alleging he co-wrote the Top Gun: Maverick screenplay. U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff ruled Friday that the writer's submitted scenes were uncopyrightable derivative works. The court emphasized Paramount's ownership of the original film, invalidating the writer's claim.

However, the legal battle is not entirely over for Paramount. Claims that the writer, Shaun Gray, defrauded the studio by concealing his involvement in the film's creation will advance to a trial. The judge noted there is sufficient evidence for a jury to find that Paramount reasonably relied on Gray's alleged fraud, preventing them from establishing employment agreements.