Movies
According to Reuters, Universal and Spielberg's studio DreamWorks are named in a lawsuit filed by the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust, claiming that they broke copyright for producing Disturbia without the permission of the rights holders.
Hitchcock's Rear Window was based on Cornell Woolrich's short story Murder From A Fixed Viewpoint. The British director acquired the film rights in 1953 and the lawsuit argues that DreamWorks should have done the same.
The lawsuit stated: "What the defendants have been unwilling to do openly, legitimately and legally, [they] have done surreptitiously, by their back-door use of the Rear Window story without paying compensation."
Both Rear Window and Disturbia centre on a housebound man who spies on his neighbour.
Disturbia director D.J. Caruso admitted in an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News last year that Rear Window "was a big inspiration", but denied that he had set out to remake it.
"I embraced it instead of running away from it," he said. "I didn't want it to be a remake because that would be silly. You can't remake Rear Window."
> Click here to read our review of Disturbia
Movie Reviews
'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' reviewTom Hanks features in a long and winding journey through New York after 9/11
At the Movies
'This Means War' Top Trumps: Hardy vs PineWe play Top Trumps with This Means War stars Tom Hardy and Chris Pine.
Movies Interviews
Nicolas Cage 'Ghost Rider' interviewNicolas Cage on the Ghost Rider reboot, Con Air sequel and pet cobras...
Box Office Charts
'Chronicle' leads UK box officeSuperhero drama Chronicle leads the UK box office ahead of Journey 2.
