According to the lawsuit filed in a federal court in Los Angeles, Shosh Yonay and Yuval Yonay, Ehud’s widow and son, claim that Paramount Pictures deliberately ignored the fact that the copyright was returned to them in January 2020.
Ehud Yonay’s article “Top Guns” was published in 1983 in California Magazine.
“Top Gun: Maverick” began filming in May 2018 and the Yonay family claims that production did not end in 2019 before copyright expired, but rather in May 2021.
The lawsuit includes unspecified damages, including some of the proceeds from the film, a ban on further distribution and further sequels.
“Top Gun: Maverick” is one of the biggest box office hits of the year, generating $ 291 million in North America and $ 548.6 million globally in the first ten days.
Paramount Pictures has not yet commented on the mood.