Paramount responds to lawsuit over alleged 'Top Gun: Maverick' copyright infringement

MANILA, Philippines ?— Heirs of the author that wrote the article inspiring 1986's "Top Gun" filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures for alleged copyright infringement over the much-awaited sequel "Top Gun: Maverick."

In 1983, Ehud Yonay wrote an article for California magainze about fighter pilots at an air station dubbed "Fightertown USA," becoming the primary inspiration for the original film directed by the late Tony Scott.

Yonay himself passed away in 2012 and his widow Shosh and son Yuval are arguing that Paramount is reaping profits from the sequel even though the Yonays filed to reclaim the copyright in 2018 and eventually did two years later.

The lawsuit says that the studio is distributing the new blockbuster starring Tom Cruse without a new license and are now seeking damages as well as a warning that will prohibit Paramount from distributing further.

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Under Section 203 of the United States' Copyright Act, authors reserve the right to terminate transfers of copyright after a period of 35 years. 

"Top Gun: Maverick" was initially supposed to be released in July 2019 but production delays and the COVID-19 pandemic postponed it further to May 2022 — 36 years since the first "Top Gun."

The lawsuit contends that the sequel was not fully completed until May 2021, by which a termination notice had already taken effect. Paramount has responded by saying, “These claims are without merit, and we will defend ourselves vigorously.”

As of writing, "Top Gun: Maverick" has grossed over $500 million (P26.4 billion) at the global box office.

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