Jury Rules for Shyamalan in Copyright Case

A California federal jury ruled in favor of M. Night Shyamalan and Apple, concluding that the Apple TV+ series 'Servant' did not infringe on the copyright of Francesca Gregorini's film 'The Truth About Emanuel'. The lawsuit, initially dismissed and then revived by the 9th Circuit, claimed 'Servant' copied the plot of Gregorini's film, revolving around a grieving mother and a realistic doll. Shyamalan and his team maintained that the similarities were coincidental and that they had never seen Gregorini's work prior to the lawsuit. During the trial, the jury viewed both the film and episodes of 'Servant', ultimately deciding there was no substantial similarity. Gregorini sought $81 million in damages, alleging 'Servant' appropriated the core elements of her film. The jury's decision marked the end of a legal battle that began in 2020.