Top Gun Lawsuit SHUT DOWN: Tom Cruise Cleared as Court Drops Maverick Copyright Battle

Описание: *1983* – Journalist Ehud Yonay writes “Top Guns” for California Magazine*, which becomes the basis for the original *Top Gun film.
• *1986* – Top Gun releases, crediting Yonay for the original story.
• *2012* – Yonay passes away; rights later claimed by his widow and son.
• *January 2020* – The Yonay family says rights reverted to them under copyright termination statutes and that Paramount no longer had the right to produce sequels.
• *2022* – Top Gun: Maverick releases and becomes a $1.5B blockbuster; family files copyright and breach‑of‑contract suit.
• *April 2024* – District Judge Percy Anderson rules for Paramount, saying no substantial similarity between the 1983 article and *Maverick*.
• *June 2025* – Appeal arguments heard by a three‑judge Ninth Circuit panel.
• *January 2, 2026* – Appeals court shuts the lawsuit down, reaffirming that Maverick isn’t substantially similar to “Top Guns,” and that Paramount didn’t breach the old contract.
• *Aftermath* – Yonay family hints at further appeals like en banc review or even the Supreme Court, claiming the ruling endangers creators—especially in the AI era.
• *Now* – Paramount flexes with a mic‑drop statement and pushes ahead with *Top Gun 3*.

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*Intellectual Property Issues (Explained Millennial‑friendly)*
• *Copyright Termination Rights* – The Yonay family argued the rights to “Top Guns” automatically reverted to them in 2020 under U.S. copyright law, meaning Paramount couldn’t legally make Top Gun: Maverick anymore.
• *Substantial Similarity* – The big legal question: Did Maverick copy protectable elements from Yonay’s 1983 article? The Ninth Circuit said nope—story vibes aren’t the same thing as copying original expression.
• *Protectable Elements* – The court said the similarities weren’t about original creative choices but general military aviation facts, which aren’t protected by copyright.
• *Breach of Contract* – The family said Paramount failed to credit Yonay, violating the 1983 deal. Court said Paramount was good—no breach.
• *AI‑Era Implications* – Plaintiffs warned the ruling could weaken creator protections as AI content grows, essentially saying: “If you write vividly, AI or studios can now copy around you”.


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