M. Night Shyamalan Cleared in $81 Million Copyright Lawsuit

A federal jury has unanimously cleared M. Night Shyamalan of all plagiarism charges related to his Apple TV+ series 'Servant,' following accusations from Italian director Francesca Gregorini. The lawsuit claimed Shyamalan's work copied elements from her 2013 film 'The Truth About Emanuel', particularly regarding the portrayal of a woman who treats a doll as a real baby. Shyamalan testified that he and his team had never seen Gregorini’s film prior to the litigation, calling the allegations a 'misunderstanding.' After viewing both the film and several episodes of 'Servant', the jury found no substantial similarities warranting copyright infringement. This lawsuit, which sought $81 million in damages, had been ongoing for over five years, initially dismissed but revived on appeal. Following the verdict, Shyamalan emphasized that the accusations contradicted his creative principles and practices.