(2016) Tags: Disney
Esplanade Productions, Inc. v. The Walt Disney Company
Brian Neil Hoff v. Walt Disney Pictures
Esplanade Productions, Inc. v. The Walt Disney Company
According to Plaintiff Gary L. Goldman, Disney copied his project “Zootopia”. Twice – in 2000 and 2009 – Goldman, on behalf of Esplanade, pitched Defendants his Zootopia franchise, which included a live-action component called Looney and an animated component called Zootopia. He provided a treatment, a synopsis, character descriptions, character illustrations, and other materials. He even provided a title for the franchise: “Zootopia.”
Instead of lawfully acquiring Goldman’s work, Defendants allegedly said they were not interested in producing it and Plaintiff claims they copied his works. They allegedly copied Goldman’s themes, settings, plot, characters, and dialogue – some virtually verbatim. They allegedly copied Goldman’s title, “Zootopia.” They allegedly copied Goldman’s character designs and artwork, as shown in the side-by-side comparison below:
Judgment: The Motion is GRANTED without leave to amend. Esplanade’s copyright infringement claim is DISMISSED.
Brian Neil Hoff v. Walt Disney Pictures
Plaintiff alleges Defendants’ animated motion film Zootopia copied certain copyrighted elements of Plaintiff’s original screenplay Secret Agent 00K9.
Judgment: The Court enters Judgment against Plaintiff Brian Neil Hoff and in favor of Defendants.