Entertainment Industry Legal Disputes

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California has thrown out a copyright lawsuit by the family of writer Ehud Yonay, ruling that Paramount Pictures’ 2022 sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" is not substantially similar to Yonay’s 1983 magazine article "Top Guns" that inspired the original 1986 film. The panel affirmed a 2024 district court dismissal, finding that any similarities are based on unprotected elements like facts about the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School and general plot ideas, meaning Paramount did not infringe or breach its 1983 rights agreement with Yonay’s estate.