Overview
- The three-judge panel in Pasadena on Jan. 2 affirmed an April 2024 dismissal by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson.
- Circuit Judge Eric Miller wrote that the claim fails because what is protected is not similar, and what is similar is not protected.
- The ruling notes the film introduces significant new story and character elements that distinguish it from the magazine article.
- The panel held Paramount had no obligation to credit Yonay in the 2022 sequel because the 1983 agreement did not cover that film.
- The $1.5 billion-grossing movie still factors into a separate New York case by screenwriter Shaun Gray, with jury selection set for March 9, 2026.