The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the 2022 Tom Cruise blockbuster 'Top Gun: Maverick' does not infringe on the copyright of a 1983 magazine article by Ehud Yonay, titled 'Top Guns'. The article inspired the original 1986 'Top Gun' film. The court's decision, handed down on Friday, dismissed the claims made by the heirs of Yonay's copyright, who sought profits from the highly successful 'Maverick' film. The $1.5 billion worldwide gross of 'Maverick' makes it the 14th-highest-grossing film ever, and it is also Cruise's highest-grossing film. The court found that 'Maverick' contained many significant plot elements not present in 'Top Guns', including a romantic subplot and the return of Cruise's character, Navy Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, to train younger pilots. The judges also noted that the Yonays' description of the works was too abstract to support a claim of substantial similarity. Circuit Judge Eric Miller wrote, 'Their claim of substantial similarity fails because what is protected is not similar, and what is similar is not protected.' The decision upholds an earlier ruling by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson in Los Angeles and also dismisses a separate lawsuit by screenwriter Shaun Gray, who claims he wrote several scenes for 'Maverick' and deserves a share of its profits. The case highlights the complex legal issues surrounding copyright infringement and the inspiration for creative works.
