Timecrimes director Nacho Vigalondo recently announced plans to team up with Anne Hathaway for a new film called Colossal. In its pre-production promotional materials, the film was described as established himself as Godzilla meets Lost in Translation, a statement that has now resulted in a lawsuit of monstrous proportions.
The Hollywood Reporter explains that Toho, the company that owns the rights to the towering lizard monster, has filed suit against Voltage Pictures over the forthcoming monster flick.
The plot of Colossal is a little esoteric as Anne Hathaway plays a woman who feels a strange connection to a giant lizard that's destroying Tokyo. Arty or not, however, Toho claims it's still a Godzilla ripoff.
In a lawsuit filed yesterday (May 19), the company said Voltage and Vigalando "are brazenly producing, advertising, and selling an unauthorized Godzilla film of their own."
"The Director's Notes also make clear that Defendants have not only taken the Godzilla Character as their own, but that they also intend to use the Godzilla Character in precisely the same way that Toho used the character in its initial film — attacking Tokyo," the company added in their complaint. "Toho is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that Defendants have knowingly used the Godzilla Character to attract interest and attention in their Colossal project so that it would stand out in a crowded field of competitors on the film sales circuit."
To their credit, Nacho Vigalondo has been describing Colossal as a Godzilla movie, like, constantly. In a 2014 interview, he said "It's going to be the cheapest Godzilla movie ever, I promise." He also allegedly used a publicity still from the 2014 Godzilla reboot while pitching Colossal at Cannes.
The Hollywood Reporter explains that Toho, the company that owns the rights to the towering lizard monster, has filed suit against Voltage Pictures over the forthcoming monster flick.
The plot of Colossal is a little esoteric as Anne Hathaway plays a woman who feels a strange connection to a giant lizard that's destroying Tokyo. Arty or not, however, Toho claims it's still a Godzilla ripoff.
In a lawsuit filed yesterday (May 19), the company said Voltage and Vigalando "are brazenly producing, advertising, and selling an unauthorized Godzilla film of their own."
"The Director's Notes also make clear that Defendants have not only taken the Godzilla Character as their own, but that they also intend to use the Godzilla Character in precisely the same way that Toho used the character in its initial film — attacking Tokyo," the company added in their complaint. "Toho is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that Defendants have knowingly used the Godzilla Character to attract interest and attention in their Colossal project so that it would stand out in a crowded field of competitors on the film sales circuit."
To their credit, Nacho Vigalondo has been describing Colossal as a Godzilla movie, like, constantly. In a 2014 interview, he said "It's going to be the cheapest Godzilla movie ever, I promise." He also allegedly used a publicity still from the 2014 Godzilla reboot while pitching Colossal at Cannes.
