Greek screenwriter Odysseus Lappas is suing 20th Century Fox. Lappas, who is originally from Athens, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday claiming the studio, along with New Regency Productions and Regency Enterprises, stole his idea for the sci-fi thriller “In Time,” directed by Andrew Niccol and starring pop singer-turned-actor Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried.
The film centers on a world in the future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, and having the means to buy their way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Lappas says his film, “Time Card,” which was registered with the Writers Guild of America, shared a very similar storyline involving a time in the future where people stop aging at 25 and must buy their way to a longer life. The writer claims the idea was pitched to 20th Century Fox 15 years ago and he was made an offer of $80,000 for the story. He says he turned down the money because he also wanted to direct the film, but it wasn’t part of the deal.
According to the suit, the “Plaintiff is informed, and believes, and on that basis alleges that ‘In Time’ includes nearly every creative element of the Time Card Synopsis as well as many of Plaintiff’s ideas discussed during the Conference.”
Lappas is suing for $4.5 million in damages. “In Time,” which was made for $40 million, grossed $173 million worldwide.
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