Legal Battle Unfolds Over Road House Remake: Screenwriter Alleges Copyright Infringement and AI Voice Cloning

A legal saga has erupted in Hollywood as the screenwriter behind the iconic 1989 action flick, “Road House,” takes legal action against MGM Studios and its parent company Amazon Studios. The lawsuit, recently filed in the U.S. Central District Court in Los Angeles, accuses the studios of copyright infringement in relation to the upcoming remake of “Road House,” amidst claims of unauthorized use of generative AI to replicate actors’ voices during the tumultuous period of Hollywood strikes last year.

R. Lance Hill, the aggrieved screenwriter, asserts in the complaint that he sought to reclaim the rights to the screenplay, upon which both the original “Road House” and the Amazon Studios reboot are based. Hill’s move came in November 2021, as Amazon Studios, through its acquisition of MGM’s film library, gained temporary ownership of “Road House,” a claim set to expire in November 2023.

However, Hill’s efforts face a significant obstacle. His original agreement with United Artists, which initially secured the screenplay’s rights before the studio was later absorbed by MGM, is classified as a “work-made-for-hire,” a designation that typically grants the hiring party ownership and copyright of the produced work.

Disputing the contractual arrangement as mere boilerplate, Hill contends that Amazon Studios disregarded his copyright assertions, proceeding with the remake’s production at an accelerated pace and resorting to what he describes as “extreme measures,” including the use of generative AI. The lawsuit seeks legal intervention to halt the film’s release, slated for SXSW’s opening night on March 8th, with subsequent streaming on Prime Video from March 21st.

In response, both Amazon Studios and MGM vehemently denied the allegations of AI usage to replicate or replace actors’ voices. A spokesperson for Amazon refuted the claims, stating that the studio explicitly instructed filmmakers not to employ AI in the movie’s production. Any potential use of AI, the spokesperson clarified, would have been at the discretion of the filmmakers during the editing process, with directives to exclude non-union actors or AI-generated content.

Furthermore, Amazon refuted the assertion that its copyright on “Road House” had lapsed, labeling numerous claims in the lawsuit as “categorically false.” The company stands firm in its position, signaling a protracted legal battle over the fate of the “Road House” remake.