The Latest Ridiculous Lawsuit

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

An unknown Chinese author is planning a $162 million lawsuit after claiming James Cameron plagiarised his story for the blockbuster Avatar.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/1020496/author-to-sue-james-cameron-over-avatar

The book centres around a group of explorers who travel to a distant planet inhabited by blue-skinned beings, he said.

Sorry buddy, I think Star Trek and Star Wars, among others, beat you to the whole "planet inhabited by blue-skinned beings" idea by about 40 years.

"I wrote in my novel that their space journey took them six years but in Cameron's movie the journey takes them five years nine months and 22 days," he said.

"I was shocked when I first saw that — it is too close."

Yes. That definitely proves it. It's a good thing Cameron didn't change that single number (enough) or he would have completely gotten away with it!

[Nanaki]

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humans do everything they can to win more money ...

[Nìwotxkrr Tìyawn]

pfft. The guy says 2 similarities and claims the whole thing was his idea. What a bunch of bull, if that guy really thought JC plagiarized off of him he would have said something a long time ago instead of waiting till the movie made of 2 billion dollars and got nominated for 9 Oscars.

[Payoang]

Oh come on, who else wants to sue Cameron for ripping off a generic sci-fi plot alongside all its cliches and elements? Delgo, Zhou Shaomou ... anyone else?

[Kerame Pxel Nume]

Beijing man Zhou Shaomou claims he wrote a science-fiction novel called Tale Of The Blue Crows in 1997

If I'm not totally mistaken the first Avatar Script was written by JC around 1994. It then did circle the Internet for years until Avatar actually went into production, when all copies were taken down.

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

Oh come on, who else wants to sue Cameron for ripping off a generic sci-fi plot alongside all its cliches and elements? Delgo, Zhou Shaomou ... anyone else?

You forgot Russian communists.

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/58399,people,entertainment,avatar-director-accused-of-plagiarising-soviet-novels-noon-universe-strugatsky

You'd think communists would be in favor of sharing the story-wealth.  XD

[Zefanaya]

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humans do everything they can to win more money ...

true so true.

And why would you even bother attempting to sue Jim, I am pretty sure he has better lawers than pretty bumch anyone who wants to get rich fast by claiming JC stole there generic Sci-Fi idea (if anything JC could sue them for basing there stuff off of his '94 script (ha i am as old as Avatar YAY) ).

Eywa ngahu

[Technowraith]

The real funny part is: Cameron concepted Avatar 15 years ago. So is the chinese author saying he wrote his story over 15 years ago? Highly unlikely.

[Txur’Itan]

I should sue James Cameron, George Lucas, JJ Abrams, Joss Whedon. 

I wrote a story with humans and space-ships in it, and they wrote several stories with humans and space ships it, too similar I was shocked.     

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

I should sue James Cameron, George Lucas, JJ Abrams, Joss Whedon. 

I wrote a story with humans and space-ships in it, and they wrote several stories with humans and space ships it, too similar I was shocked.     

Txur'Itan, now I'm the one who's shocked! I wrote a story with humans and submarines, and here you are with your story about humans and space-ships? It is too close! Once you finish up with your lawsuits you can expect to hear from my lawyer!

[Rikxyu]

But I came up with the idea of humans being the technologically advanced invaders of another planet, so I should get some credit, right?

...Wow, we have an extremely sarcastic community. Now I know why I seem to fit in so well! 

[Txontaw]

I bet the Chinese gov't put him up to this. They're mad that Avatar (slightly) describes the gov't of China as being evil. That's why they banned it from a lot of the theaters.

Wait:

An unknown Chinese author

Beijing man Zhou Shaomou

Contradiction much?

[Txonyä'ite]

yeah this is absolutely a stupid cause of action. I do feel sorry for JC on this though because being dragged into chinese court is not fun. the rules are a bit draconian and they tend to protect members of the forum state (i.e. chinese citizens). IMHO it is the worst foreign court to be dragged into.

Hopefully the author is sueing in the US so that they can do real discovery and find out that the case is in fact a crock.

[Rikxyu]

So wait... the Hurt Locker is supposed to have a guy claiming that the story is based on him... and at the same time, Avatar has another guy claiming he wrote the original story... right after they both earn a bunch of awards and a ton of money? Hmmm... seems a little late to come forward.

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

Wait:

An unknown Chinese author

Beijing man Zhou Shaomou

Contradiction much?

Maybe they meant "unknown" as in nobody in the world has heard of him or read his book and thus nobody in the world could have possibly ripped off his story.

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

So wait... the Hurt Locker is supposed to have a guy claiming that the story is based on him... and at the same time, Avatar has another guy claiming he wrote the original story... right after they both earn a bunch of awards and a ton of money? Hmmm... seems a little late to come forward.

I wouldn't say it's late in the case of Avatar (it's not even out of theaters yet!), but The Hurt Locker first came out some time in 2008, right?

[Txonyä'ite]

Wait:

An unknown Chinese author

Beijing man Zhou Shaomou

Contradiction much?

Maybe they meant "unknown" as in nobody in the world has heard of him or read his book and thus nobody in the world could have possibly ripped off his story.

Win!

[Rikxyu]

Well, I guess I meant the timing was interesting. I mean, the Oscars were just awarded and less than a week later, these guy come forward at the same time?
And I heard the Hurt Locker came out in November 2009. Course, I had no idea it existed until the awards. Couldn't have come out in '08, as it couldn't have won awards for this year, srane?

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

Well, I guess I meant the timing was interesting. I mean, the Oscars were just awarded and less than a week later, these guy come forward at the same time?

Actually, both articles predate the Oscars, though not the nominations.

And I heard the Hurt Locker came out in November 2009. Course, I had no idea it existed until the awards. Couldn't have come out in '08, as it couldn't have won awards for this year, srane?

I believe it did an Italian release first (which frankly made me cough a little when their sound guy accepted the Oscar and went on and on about how they didn't do test showings like the big budget movies did).

Release date(s)    September 4, 2008 (2008-09-04) (Venice Film Festival)

[Txontaw]

Wait, can James Cameron even speak/read Chinese anyway?

And when did the guy write it? Because JC wrote the first edition like, 15 years ago.