Lawsuit over ’50 Shades’ porn
Universal is reportedly suing over a hardcore porn adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.
The studio – who paid $5-million for movie rights to the best-selling EL James novel – has filed a suit against Fifty Shades of Grey: A XXX Adaptation, starring Allie Haze and Ryan Driller, citing a "willful attempt to capitalise on the reputation of the book", according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Smash Pictures have, in the past, created spoof pornographic films such as Bridesmaids XXX Porn Parody and Diary Of Love – A XXX Romance Adaption Of ‘The Notebook’.
But according to the lawsuit, pornographers Smash Pictures have produced an outright "rip-off" of James’ bondage novel, and "by lifting exact dialogue, characters, events, story, and style … Smash Pictures ensured that the first XXX adaptation was, in fact, as close as possible to the original works " without the rights.
"Beginning with the first XXX adaptation’s opening scene and continuing throughout the next two-and-a-half hours of the film, Smash Pictures copies without reservation from the unique expressive elements of the Fifty Shades trilogy, progressing through the events of Fifty Shades of Grey and into the second book, Fifty Shades Darker," the complaint continues.
"The first XXX adaptation is not a parody, and it does not comment on, criticise or ridicule the originals. It is a rip-off, plain and simple."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio and book’s rights holders are asking for monetary damages and an injunction.
Universal and its Focus Features division are currently working on their own film based on James’ novel, to be scripted by Saving Mr Banks writer Kelly Marcel.
