Ninth Circuit Court Upholds Apple's Victory in Servant Copyright Dispute
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury verdict clearing Apple and M. Night Shyamalan of copyright infringement claims regarding the Apple TV+ series Servant. Francesca Gregorini, director of The Truth About Emanuel, had sued for up to $81 million, alleging the show copied her 2013 film. Jurors previously found the creators lacked access to her work. This final ruling resolves a multi-year legal battle, securing the intellectual property status of the four-season thriller for Apple's streaming platform.
Key points
- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a January 2024 jury verdict that cleared Apple and director M. Night Shyamalan of copyright infringement for the series Servant.
- Francesca Gregorini, director of the 2013 film The Truth About Emanuel, originally sued Apple and Shyamalan, seeking up to $81 million in damages for alleged plot theft.
- The initial jury unanimously ruled in Apple's favor, determining that Servant's creators had not accessed Gregorini's film before developing the psychological thriller.
- Gregorini appealed the decision, challenging the jury instructions and other trial aspects, but the appellate court maintained the lower court's finding.
- The series Servant, starring Lauren Ambrose and Rupert Grint, ran for four seasons on Apple TV+ and concluded in 2023.
- This ruling finalizes the legal dispute, confirming that the show's narrative elements are distinct enough from Gregorini's work to avoid infringement claims.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has issued a final ruling in the long-running copyright dispute involving Apple’s streaming service. The court upheld a lower court verdict that cleared Apple and director M. Night Shyamalan of allegations that their hit thriller series, Servant, borrowed its plot from an independent film. This decision resolves a lawsuit that began shortly after the show premiered on Apple TV+.
Francesca Gregorini, the Italian-born director of the 2013 film The Truth About Emanuel, had argued that Servant’s narrative closely mirrored her work. She sought up to $81 million in damages, claiming the series stole key plot points. The legal battle persisted for several years, even as Servant completed its four-season run in 2023. In January of the previous year, a jury unanimously sided with Apple and Shyamalan, finding that the show’s creators likely did not have access to Gregorini’s film during the development phase.
Gregorini appealed the verdict, challenging specific jury instructions and trial procedures. However, the Ninth Circuit maintained the original finding, reinforcing the defense that lack of access is a critical factor in copyright infringement cases. The series, which stars Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free, and Rupert Grint, follows a Philadelphia couple dealing with a mysterious force in their home. The final ruling provides legal certainty for Apple’s original content library, ensuring that Servant’s intellectual property remains unencumbered by further litigation.
Sources
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