Screenwriter Sues Alexander Payne, Alleging 'The Holdovers' Plagiarized His 2013 Script
Screenwriter Simon Stephenson has filed a federal lawsuit against director Alexander Payne and other entities, claiming the Oscar-nominated film 'The Holdovers' plagiarized his unproduced 2013 screenplay 'Frisco.' The complaint alleges 46 matched incidents between the two scripts and asserts that Payne, who read 'Frisco' in 2013 and 2019, incorporated its structure into the final film. Payne previously dismissed the claims as absurd at the Sarajevo Film Festival. Stephenson, known for 'Paddington 2' and 'Luca,' seeks damages and an injunction against further distribution of the film, which grossed approximately $46 million.