TV - Movies
Paramount
Entering Danger
Zone With Legal
Battle Over Top
Gun Rights
By MELISSA LEMIEUX
One of the side effects of the massive success of a movie or TV show is the filing of a lawsuit, a hazard industry professionals know all too well. This is true of “Top Gun: Maverick,” as a group connected to the first film in the franchise has a bone to pick with Paramount over the hit sequel.
Shosh and Yuval Yonay, heirs to Ehud Yonay, who wrote a story titled "Top Guns" for California magazine in 1983, have filed suit against Paramount Pictures for copyright infringement. Paramount bought the rights to Yonay's story shortly after it was published, and it inspired the original “Top Gun” in 1986.
Yonay's heirs claim that Paramount no longer has the rights to Yonay's story, did not attempt to contact them for an extension on said rights, and knew they did not have permission when they proceeded to develop "Top Gun: Maverick." A representative of Paramount told The Hollywood Reporter, "These claims are without merit, and we will defend ourselves vigorously."