Paramount sued by writer over 'Top Gun: Maverick' screenplay

By Blake Brittain

April 28 (Reuters) - Paramount Global PARA.O was sued by a screenwriter in New York federal court late Sunday seeking a share of profits for his work on Paramount's hit film "Top Gun: Maverick."

Shaun Gray said in the lawsuit that he was entitled to a copyright interest in the blockbuster Tom Cruise action movie for his contributions to its screenplay. The sequel to the 1986 hit "Top Gun" grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide following its theatrical release in 2022.

Paramount fended off a separate copyright lawsuit last year over "Maverick" from the heirs of Ehud Yonay, whose article "Top Guns" inspired the original "Top Gun" movie. Attorney Marc Toberoff represented the plaintiffs in both cases.

"This lawsuit, like the one previously brought by Mr. Toberoff in an attempt to benefit off of the success of Top Gun: Maverick, is completely without merit," a Paramount Pictures spokesperson said. "We are confident that a court will reject this claim as well."

Toberoff did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint on Monday.

Gray is the cousin of "Maverick" screenwriter Eric Singer, according to the complaint. Gray's lawsuit said Singer and the film's director Joseph Kosinski approached him in 2017 about co-writing the screenplay.

Gray said he wrote several scenes that appeared in the movie, including multiple fighter jet flight scenes. According to the complaint, Gray was the film's only writer not subject to a work-made-for-hire agreement, which entitled him to a share of its copyright and profits.

The case is Gray v. Paramount Global, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 1:25-cv-03484.

For Gray: Marc Toberoff of Toberoff & Associates

For Paramount: attorney information not yet available

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