LONDON — A British writer has initiated a £6.5 million lawsuit against the broadcaster Sky and the executive producer of the television series “Britannia,” asserting that his screenplay was the blueprint for the historical fantasy drama without his consent. The series, which depicted the Roman invasion of Britain led by a character played by David Morrissey, previously from “The Walking Dead,” concluded in 2023 after three seasons.
Benjamin Crushcov, a writer and educator, filed the lawsuit in the High Court, accusing Sky and additional defendants of appropriating his concept and original script, then attempting to obscure the origin of “Britannia.” James Richardson, co-founder of the production company Vertigo Films, and journalist Karen Hyland are also named in the suit. Hyland is alleged to have taken Crushcov’s manuscript and delivered it to Richardson.
In response to the allegations, Sky, Vertigo, and Hyland released a joint statement asserting there is “no basis” for the claims. They informed Crushcov that they had no knowledge of his script until he raised the issue.
Crushcov contends that his academic work, a heavily fictionalized historical drama titled “Tribus” written in 2014 during his time at Bath Spa University, bears “numerous striking similarities” to “Britannia,” which was commissioned by Sky in 2016. According to court documents, Crushcov believes that Hyland, formerly a television writer at News UK, misappropriated a copy of his script in 2016, passing it subsequently to Richardson. However, he has confessed to lacking direct evidence of how his work was transferred between the parties, but he alleges that Richardson and Hyland were connected.
Adding to the intrigue, Robin Mukherjee, a screenwriter and Crushcov’s mentor at university, reportedly found the similarities between “Tribus” and “Britannia” to be extensive and precise, which in his view, could not be mere coincidence. Crushcov had earlier confronted Richardson in 2019 regarding his concerns, leading to a dismissal from Vertigo’s head of legal affairs, who claimed ignorance about the existence of Crushcov’s series until the letter from February 2019.
An escalation occurred in January 2020 when Crushcov issued a cease and desist notice to Sky concerning “Britannia,” prompting an internal investigation by the broadcaster. Sky countered that the final treatment for “Britannia” was drafted in November 2013, predating any submissions connected to Crushcov. Moreover, Sky clarified that Richardson had not seen Crushcov’s script nor had he met Hyland.
Crushcov refuted these explanations by pointing out discrepancies in the show’s development timeline and inconsistencies in credit attributions among the writers, particularly highlighting a 2020 interview in which Jez Butterworth mentioned starting from scratch on the show due to existing impasses, suggesting a potential period for the misappropriation of Crushcov’s work.
As the legal dispute unfolds, Crushcov is seeking substantial damages and compensation for alleged copyright infringements, which include creator fees and lost earnings, alongside a public apology.
Both parties stand firm in their positions, with Sky, Vertigo, and Hyland denying the allegations and Crushcov adamant about the misuse of his intellectual property. This legal battle underscores the complexities and challenges writers may face in protecting their creative visions within the television industry.
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