Key Takeaways:
– The forthcoming Netflix shark thriller, Under Paris, has been hit with a parasitism lawsuit by filmmaker Vincent Dietschy.
– Dietschy claims that Under Paris shares striking similarities with his 2011 project, Silure.
– Consequences of the lawsuit could lead to the suspension of Under Paris on Netflix pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.
– Producers of Under Paris rebut Dietschy’s claim, stating their project as an independent endeavor and have threatened retaliation with a defamation charge.
Netflix’s Upcoming Release Under Scrutiny
Under Paris, a highly anticipated shark thriller from acclaimed director Xavier Gens, is set to premiere on Netflix on June 5th, 2022. However, a suit filed by Vincent Dietschy potentially threatens the streaming service release of the film. Dietschy, a notable filmmaker, alleges that Under Paris and his project Silure, which he began in 2011, demonstrate marked resemblances, leading to the filing of a parasitism lawsuit against the producers of Under Paris.
The Plaintiff’s Claim and the French Law
In accordance with Article 1240 of France’s Civil Code, parasitism refers to an instance where one party follows another’s efforts and know-how, capitalizing on their enterprise without due permission or compensatory payment. Through his legal representative, Dietschy expresses his belief that producers Sébastien Auscher and Edouard Duprey became privy to Silure following his pitch to an agent in 2014. Subsequently, details of Silure, alongside a 23-page treatment, were shared among other producers in 2015. Dietschy also stated that he registered Silure with France’s rights management body SACD in 2012.
The Premise of the Disputed Projects
Silure is a story inspired by Jaws, spotlighting a young policewoman assigned to the Paris River brigade as a diver, contending with an enormous and belligerent catfish causing panic in Paris. Conversely, Under Paris tells the tale of a brilliant scientist Sophia who teams up with a young environmental activist and the Seine river police commander to prevent a large shark lurking in the river from causing a bloodbath during the World Triathlon Championships.
Under Paris Denies Parasitism Allegation
Auscher and Duprey, the defendants, rebuffed the allegations of borrowing from Silure in the creation of Under Paris. They first made known their plan for a shark thriller in 2015 before the lawsuit. The duo issued a statement, “We had never heard of Silure until the formal notice from Dietschy’s Counsel last year. Under Paris is an original project, and we will defend ourselves in court.
The Road Ahead
Dietschy’s legal representation, Maître Héloïse de Castelnau, predicts a potentially lengthy lawsuit due to the rigorous analysis of contracts and paperwork involved. If the court rules in favor of Dietschy at the initial hearing on June 14th, Netflix might halt the streaming release of Under Paris. This is hardly an ideal situation for both the streaming services company and the film producers who might have to temporarily shelve their blockbuster.
In a twist of events, Auscher and Duprey have promised to counter sue for defamation due to the significant reputational and professional harm they argue they’ve suffered as a result of the unfounded lawsuit.
These are uncharted waters for Under Paris as the legal proceedings begin to play out, and it would be interested to see how this affects the release of the thrilling shark adventure movie.
