Netflix is being sued again by a self-published author who says that the 2021 film Don’t Look Up, directed by Adam McKay, copied his work. Darren Hunter, an author from Harleysville, Pa., claims that the film took ideas from his book The Million Day Forecast, which he published in 2015.
This new lawsuit follows a similar case filed last year by William Collier, a Louisiana author, who said the movie was based on his book Stanley’s Comet. A judge dismissed Collier’s case last month, saying the similarities were too general to be taken seriously.
Hunter is asking for over $3 billion in damages. His lawyer, Larry Klayman, has accused McKay and the film’s team of dishonesty and greed, calling it a sad example of Hollywood today.
The lawsuit, filed in Orlando, Fla., highlights several similarities between The Million Day Forecast and Don’t Look Up. Both works feature young women trying to warn the world about a coming disaster. The lawsuit also points out that both stories share themes of dark humor, political satire, and the struggle to get people to act before it’s too late.
Hunter says he shared his book with several people in the entertainment industry, some of whom might be linked to the film’s makers. However, he hasn’t named anyone specifically in the suit.
Netflix has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
Hunter’s author page on Amazon says he was inspired to write The Million Day Forecast after meeting someone who claimed to be from the Centaurus A galaxy.
The case is still ongoing, and Klayman is facing disciplinary action in Florida over a past suspension in Washington, D.C.
