Creator of “The Leftovers” Sued

Director Alexander Payne and screenwriter David Hemingson are facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over their acclaimed film *The Holdovers*. The legal action was initiated by Italian screenwriter Edoardo Gabbriellini, recognized for his contribution to Pixar’s *Luca*, who alleges that the movie’s creators appropriated key elements of his script without authorization.

Gabbriellini insists there are striking parallels between his unpublished work and *The Holdovers*. The specifics of his allegations and the unfolding details of the case are currently being reviewed in court, while Payne and Hemingson have yet to face a definitive ruling regarding these claims.

According to court filings, the plaintiff asserts he has identified 46 distinct similarities between the two scripts, noting that 24 scenes reportedly unfold in the exact same sequence. He is seeking financial damages alongside an injunction to halt any further distribution of the film.

Previously, Payne firmly denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that his primary inspiration came from the 1935 French classic *Merlusse*, which tells the story of an unpopular boarding school teacher supervising students over the Christmas holidays. 

Source: Film.ru