M. Night Shyamalan Faces $81 Million Copyright Trial Over Apple TV+ Show ‘Servant’

variety.com:

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Director M. Night Shyamalan went on trial on Tuesday over allegations that he copied from an independent film to make the Apple TV+ show “Servant.” Francesca Gregorini, an Italian-born director, is suing Shyamalan and Apple for $81 million, alleging that the show stole key elements from her 2013 movie, “The Truth About Emanuel.” Her attorney, Patrick Arenz, showed jurors clips of both projects during his opening statement on Tuesday in federal court in Riverside, Calif.

He argued that both depict a delusional mother who cares for a doll as though it is a real baby, and a nanny who is complicit in the delusion. “This is a simple case,” Arenz told the jury. “There would be no ‘Servant’ without ‘Emanuel.'” Shyamalan sat behind the defense attorneys, alongside producer Taylor Latham and Matt Cherniss, the head of programming at Apple TV+.

Tony Basgallop, the British writer who created the series, sat at the defense counsel table, while Gregorini sat with her lawyers at the plaintiffs’ table.

When it was the defense’s turn, attorney Brittany Amadi argued that Basgallop began developing the show years before “The Truth About Emanuel” was released, and that those involved with the show never drew on the film. “Ms.