Showtime and Lionsgate’s Entertainment One are being sued for copyright infringement, with the lawsuit alleging that their hit series, “Yellowjackets,“ stole ideas from the 2015 film, “Eden.”
A lawsuit obtained by TheWrap and filed in California federal court by the company that owns the rights to “Eden” alleges that the Showtime series has “strikingly similar elements” to the film. Both follow a beleaguered soccer team that crashes in the woods on the way to a game, and in the midst of their survival attempts, begin to lean into cult-like behavior, ultimately resorting to cannibalism.
“In both works, the survivors, which include various players and the coach, among others, must fight for their lives against the harsh elements, starvation through dwindling resources and the psychological toll of isolation in the form of growing darkness within themselves,” Thursday’s complaint states. “As they struggle to survive, tensions rise, alliances form, dark secrets emerge and moral boundaries are pushed to their limits — blurring the line between good and evil.”
The suit further alleges that the “most substantive elements” from “Yellowjackets” were “copied” from “Eden.” Eden Film Productions seeks unspecified damages and an injunction stopping the “Yellowjackets” creators from profiting off the series.
Showtime did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
“Eden” – not to be confused with the 2024 Ron Howard film of the same name – stars Ethan Peck, Nate Parker, Jessica Lowndes, Diego Boneta, James Remar and Sung Kang.
“Yellowjackets” remains one of Showtime’s current biggest hits. The critically acclaimed show’s second season premiere boasted around 2 million viewers across platforms – a high for the studio. The third season is set to release in 2025 and features new guest stars Hilary Swank and Joel McHale.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
