Court rules The Pitt and ER are similar enough for lawsuit to proceed
Three-judge panel rejects Warner Bros bid to dismiss case but drops claims against individual producers
A US appeals court has ruled that the medical drama The Pitt is sufficiently similar to the series ER for a lawsuit against its producers to proceed. Sherri Crichton, the widow of ER creator Michael Crichton, and the John Michael Crichton Trust argue the show is an uncredited reboot made without proper permission or credit. Sherri Crichton says her husband’s contract included a “frozen rights” provision. The three-judge panel said the similarities were “clear and numerous” and allowed the case to go to a jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. However, the judges dismissed separate claims against actor-producer Noah Wyle, executive producer John Wells and showrunner R Scott Gemmill, citing insufficient evidence that they were aware they could be violating Crichton’s contractual rights.