A three-judge appeals court panel has rejected Warner Bros. Television’s attempt to stop Sherri Crichton’s lawsuit over “The Pitt,” ruling that the show shares enough similarities with “ER” for the case to proceed. The decision does not determine whether “The Pitt” is legally derived from “ER”; that question may ultimately go to a jury.
The panel pointed to both shows’ emergency-room settings, fast pace, medical terminology and graphic injury scenes, as well as the presence of a young, inexperienced doctor fresh out of medical school. It said those details were sufficient to establish a preliminary case.
The court dismissed claims against “The Pitt” creators Noah Wyle, John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill, finding no evidence that they knew they might be violating Michael Crichton’s contractual rights.
Crichton co-created “ER,” drawing on a 1974 script based on his experiences as a medical student. His contract with Warner Bros. included a provision barring the studio from making spinoffs or reboots without his approval. Sherri Crichton filed suit in August 2024, alleging that Wells and Wyle initially sought to reboot “ER” and pursued a different project after failing to obtain her permission.
Warner Bros. has maintained that “The Pitt” is unrelated to “ER” and sought to dismiss the case under California’s anti-SLAPP law. A trial court rejected that request last year, finding that Crichton had presented sufficient evidence for the lawsuit to continue. The appeals ruling sends the case back to the trial court, though the parties could still settle before a jury considers whether “The Pitt” is a derivative work.
In a statement, Sherri Crichton said she was gratified by the decision and looked forward to discovery and presenting the case to a jury. For the full interview, visit [URL de la fuente].
Sources: Variety.