A screenwriter has accused the Oscar-nominated film “Holdovers” of plagiarizing a screenplay he wrote more than a decade ago.
Simon Stephenson, who worked on the films “Luca” and “Paddington 2,” outlined his charges in an email to the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Mr Stevenson claimed “The Holdovers” director Alexander Payne likely read his script “Frisco” when it was put on Hollywood’s 2013 “blacklist”. The list is an annual survey of Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced scripts. “Frisco” peaked at number 3.
This image released by Focus Features shows Paul Giamatti in a scene from “The Holdovers.” (Focus on functionality via Seacia Pavao/AP)
In the received email, Variety exclusiveStevenson claimed there was “overwhelming” evidence that the script for “The Holdovers” was “plagiarized line by line” from “Frisco.”
”[A]”Those who have seen even the shortest sample almost universally use the word ‘impudent,'” Stevenson said in an email to WGA.
Stevenson not only compared the two films scene by scene, but also thoroughly compared key sequences and dialogue.
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“I believe that the meaningful entirety of the screenplay for a movie that has WGA-approved credits and is currently on track to win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay was plagiarized line by line from my popular, unproduced screenplay.” I can prove beyond any doubt that this is the case,” Stevenson reportedly wrote late last month.
“I can also certify that the director of the film in question read my script on two separate occasions before it entered development.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for Stevenson and Payne, as well as the WGA, for further comment.
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The Holdovers was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.
