Writer sues Lost creators

MarkR

A television writer alleges fraud and breach of contract in a lawsuit directed at ABC and the creators of the hit sci-fi show Lost.

Is Lost an original idea?

Hollywood writer Anthony Spinner filed a lawsuit Friday claiming that ABC and Lost creators J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof stole an idea he pitched to the network in 1977.
Lost tells the story of a group of plane crash survivors who find themselves on a mysterious island. They are beset by giant polar bears, villainous people, a frightening wraithlike creature, and, worst of all, their own personal demons.
Spinner says in that in 1977 he was hired by the producers of Land of the Lost to create a show for ABC. The pilot he wrote was called Lost, and it involved a plane crash that stranded people in a mysterious place filled with peril and strange creatures.
ABC has not made any comments regarding the lawsuit, but this is the second high-profile lawsuit the network has been slapped with in recent weeks, as Simon Cowell and the network were sued for allegedly stealing the idea for Cowell's upcoming show, The Million Dollar Idea.


Hmmm.. Wonder does he have any spoilers?

mickymg2003

If it is true i'm kinda glad that it was made in 2004 because it wouldn't be as good if it was made in 1977.Pity the pilot wans made though because it would be interesting to see what it was like.

WellCultured

To be fair hasn't everyone had an idea for a 'lost on a desert island' thing?
I know this is more than that but still....
Kinda reminds me of the B5/DS9 thing a few years back....

duridian

I'm surprised this wasn't made back then. Seems they were a bit mad for plane crash stuff back in the 70's:
Airport (1970)
Airport 1975 (1974)
Airport '77 (1977)
And I Alone Survived (1978)
The concorde: Airport '79 (1979)(ominous that!)
Fear Is The Key (1972)(well it starts out with a man's family dying in a plane crash)
The Ghost of Flight 401 (1978)
Lost on Paradise Island (1975)
The Sky Trap (1978)
Sole Survivor (1970)
Ultimo mondo cannibale (1977)

mad m

Fantasy Island....."The plane boss,the plane".....

Laguna

WellCultured wrote:

Kinda reminds me of the B5/DS9 thing a few years back....

Yeah, I remember that dispute too, it was unfounded in my opinion though, DS9 was actually good, they couldn't have stolen that from B5!. <hides from fanboys>

Yeah whoever said it here got it right, I think everyone has had an idea for a lost on a desert Island thing, if this guy actually gets compensated, where does it end?, I mean the Tom Hanks film Castaway is practically identical in concept, they should get on the sue train as well!

WellCultured

Laguna wrote:

Yeah, I remember that dispute too, it was unfounded in my opinion though, DS9 was actually good, they couldn't have stolen that from B5!. <hides from fanboys>

You better!!! Actually I liked both series.

Laguna wrote:

Yeah whoever said it here got it right, I think everyone has had an idea for a lost on a desert Island thing.

That was me!!!:D

Miguel_Sanchez

WellCultured wrote:

You better!!! Actually I liked both series.

[begin Simon Pegg voice]
Babylon 5 is a big pile of ****! Yay!
[/end Simon Pegg voice]

monkeyfudge

Surely J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof would have only been about 10 years old when he pitched his idea.

OFDM

Who wrote Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe? Their decendants should sue.

WellCultured

OFDM wrote:

Who wrote Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe? Their decendants should sue.

The creator of Gilligans island ought to sue.

WellCultured

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

[begin Simon Pegg voice]
Babylon 5 is a big pile of ****! Yay!
[/end Simon Pegg voice]

Blasphemy.