Author sues Apple and The Tetris Company for reportedly adapting book without consent
Dan Ackerman is seeking damages for unfair competition and copyright infringement
The Tetris Effect writer Dan Ackerman has filed a lawsuit against Apple and The Tetris Company for allegedly adapting his book without permission.
In a complaint issued to a Manhattan federal court on August 8, Ackerman claimed the Apple Original film Tetris had "the same feel, tone, approach and scenes" as his 2016 book The Tetris Effect: The Game That Hypnotized The World, including direct adaptation of "specific chapters and pages."
Ackerman accused Apple and The Tetris Company of unfair competition, copyright infringement, and illegally interfering with business relations.
He is seeking actual and compensatory damages equal to 3% of the film's production budget, and punitive damages of the same amount. The Tetris film had a $80 million production budget.
The author claimed he sent a pre-publication copy of his book to The Tetris Company in 2016. The company allegedly refused to license its IP for the book, and sent a "strongly worded" cease and desist letter to dissuade Ackerman "from pursuing film and television opportunities."
According to the complaint, CEO of The Tetris Company Maya Rogers and screenwriter Noah Pink started adapting Ackerman's book without his consent in 2017.
GamesIndustry.biz reached out for comment.
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