Top 10 Movie Scenes That Led to HUGE Lawsuits

Here’s a warning to all future filmmakers - be really careful that your designs weren’t accidentally lifted from something else. When “The Devil’s Advocate” was released in 1997, sculptor Frederick Hart noticed that the sculpture in Milton’s apartment looked suspiciously like his Ex Nihilo, which is adorned on Washington’s Episcopal National Cathedral. Both Hart and the Cathedral sued Warner Bros., and a judge claimed they had a “substantial likelihood” of winning the case. Warner Bros. settled with the plaintiffs before it went to trial, and they were forced to make digital edits before the movie could be released for sale. Copies that were already produced for rental were adorned with a sticker claiming that there was no relation between the movie sculpture and Hart’s work.

This Bruce Willis-led action thriller concerns a Navy SEAL team sent to rescue a United States citizen from the jungles of Nigeria. Action movies are tricky to film, owing to all the dangerous stunts and pyrotechnics, and sometimes things go wrong. In this case, things went wrong for the movie’s star. Willis was reportedly hit in the head by an unidentified “projectile” during one of the movie’s action scenes, resulting in “extreme mental, physical and emotional pain.” He sought financial damages and compensation, as he was “required to… employ physicians and other medical personnel” to treat his unspecified injury. He claimed that the special effects team acted negligently and exposed the crew to “ultrahazardous activity.”

This movie concerns a historic FBI sting operation, so it’s not really surprising that it was pegged with a lawsuit. What is surprising is that it has nothing to do with the FBI - merely, it concerns… a microwave. Jennifer Lawrence’s Rosalyn claims that she read in a Paul Brodeur article that microwaves zap food of their nutrition. Brodeur is a real figure and has written extensively about microwave radiation, but he never claimed that they suck nutrition from food. He told the court as much in his lawsuit, claiming that the movie defamed and portrayed him as a fear-monger. However, a California appeals court stated that the movie was a “farce” and that audiences were led to mistrust anything that the unhinged Rosalyn claimed.

Product placement is all too common in blockbuster movies. As the budget for “Die Hard 2” increased, Fox and Black & Decker reached an agreement - the power tool manufacturer would fork over $20,000 in exchange for John McClane using their latest tool, the Univolt cordless drill, on screen. The company was excited about the promotion and even created a tie-in marketing campaign around the tool. However, the scene was cut from the final edit without Black & Decker’s permission, and the company was cheesed. They sought $150,000 in damages and won, with 20th Century Fox settling out of court. But the best part about this story? Black & Decker never actually paid the agreed-upon $20,000.

This romantic comedy stars Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis as unhappy high school sweethearts Joey and Lucy Tanzini. In one scene, Joey… enjoys himself to an old photo of model Irina Krupnik. Krupnik had previously sold the photo to a stock image company, but she never intended it to be used in the movie’s context. As per her lawyer, “[Krupnick] did not contemplate, intend, or consent to the use of her photograph or likeness in a quasi-pornographic context.” She proceeded to launch a defamation suit and demanded $10 million in compensation. But by signing away the rights to the photo, Krupnik lost the ability to dictate how it was used. A judge threw out the case, and Krupnick never saw a dime.

Apparently Bruce Willis is a living, breathing lawsuit magnet! In the very beginning of “12 Monkeys,” Willis’s James Cole is interrogated on an elevated chair while some weird, futuristic sphere probes him for weakness. Like “The Devil’s Advocate,” this room and set up bore striking similarities to another piece of work - this one being a close approximation of architect Lebbeus Woods’ “Neomechanical Tower (Upper) Chamber.” And, just as “The Devil’s Advocate” would have gone had Warner Bros. not settled, Woods won the case. He was awarded a high six-figure settlement from Universal Pictures in exchange for his work’s use in the film, and the end credits claim that the interrogation room was “inspired” by the architectural work of Lebbeus Woods.

This classic adaptation of one of literature’s greatest love stories turned out to be more tragic than expected. Director Franco Zeffirelli had initially promised the underage leads, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, that they would wear flesh-colored undergarments during their love scene. However, just before shooting, he convinced them to go nude with only body makeup, falsely assuring them their private parts would not be visible. Although Hussey initially defended the nude scene in 2018, her stance changed five years later. She and Whiting sued Paramount Pictures for $500 million, claiming the incident caused them emotional damage. The lawsuit was dismissed, partly due to the statute of limitations, but it’s still troubling that they were exploited in such a manner.

Is this the most sued movie ever? Let’s go through the list! The villagers of Glod, Romania sued, claiming that the movie made them look incestuous. A South Carolina resident claimed that Sacha Baron Cohen made crude comments about him. Driving instructor Michael Psenicska sued over use of his image in promotional material. The man who runs away from Borat in New York sued over “public ridicule... and humiliation.” Perhaps the most notorious scene to cause a lawsuit however came when two of the frat brothers Borat met in South Carolina launched a defamation lawsuit. On top of this, Singer Esma Redžepova sued over use of her song, even though the filmmakers had received permission. Funnily enough, this was the only lawsuit to kind-of “win,” as she had not been notified by her production house. She was awarded just €26,000 of her €800,000 suit.

It was perhaps inevitable that a satirical film from Seth Rogan would stir some controversy. Sure enough, “The Interview” contained a graphic death scene of Kim Jong-un that led to intimidating threats from the North Korean government. But as it turned out, the real issue arose from a much more innocuous detail. After hackers threatened to attack theaters that showed the movie, the studio opted for streaming. Kernel Films, the stealth startup handling the release, hired another company, Neustar, to ensure the streaming was secure. According to Neustar, though, Kernel never paid their $1.1 million fee, so they dragged them to court for it. In the end, “The Interview” caused a lot more trouble than it was worth.

Much like an actual episode of the “Twilight Zone” series, its movie adaptation became linked to a real-life tragedy. In the film’s “Time Out” segment, Vic Morrow plays a bigoted man who is sent back in time to experience life on the receiving end of prejudice. The script initially featured Morrow’s character rescuing two children during the Vietnam War. However, the young actors portraying the children were hired illegally and made to work at night. Tragically, while filming a scene involving a helicopter, Morrow and the children were killed when the aircraft crashed. Civil and criminal lawsuits were filed, with director John Landis and others being tried and ultimately acquitted of manslaughter. The bitter legal battles eventually led to stricter safety regulations in the industry.

What behind the scenes story from a movie do you find most fascinating? Let us know in the comments below!


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