Warner Bros Appeals Copyright Suit Over HBO Max Drama The Pitt

The estate of Michael Crichton, creator of ER, has sued Warner Bros. TV and Noah Wyle over the HBO medical drama The Pitt, alleging it is a derivative work of ER and breaches a 1994 contract requiring mutual agreement for sequels or spin-offs. Warner Bros., Wyle, and co-producers strongly deny these claims, asserting The Pitt is an original drama with no protected elements copied from ER, and have filed appeals arguing that the lawsuit threatens creative freedom and misuses the judicial system. They emphasize that The Pitt was developed independently after a failed ER reboot negotiation and that the anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss the case was wrongly denied by the lower court. The legal battle highlights concerns about intellectual property rights and free expression in the film and television industry. The Pitt, which premiered in January 2025 to critical acclaim and multiple Emmy wins, is set to return for a second season in January 2026, with its creators continuing to defend the show's originality amid ongoing litigation.