Judge Allows Michael Crichton’s Estate to Pursue Lawsuit Over ‘The Pitt’
variety.comGene Maddaus Senior Media Writer A judge has allowed the estate of Michael Crichton to pursue its lawsuit over the Max show “The Pitt,” which the estate argues is an unauthorized reboot of “ER.” Crichton’s widow, Sherri, sued Warner Bros.
in August, alleging that the show bears unmistakable similarities to “ER,” which Crichton created, and that the studio had cut her out of the deal in violation of his contract.
The defendants, who also include producer John Wells and actor Noah Wyle, filed a motion to throw out the lawsuit under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which offers a mechanism to dismiss frivolous suits that are intended to squelch free speech.
In a ruling issued Monday, Judge Wendy Chang denied the motion, finding that the estate’s lawsuit has enough merit to proceed. “The Court finds that the evidence submitted by Plaintiffs meet the minimal merit standard to demonstrate at least a prima facie case that ‘The Pitt’ is derived from ‘ER,'” the judge wrote.
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