CopyrightC.D. Cal.2:25-cv-04294

Studiofest LLC v. William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC

Summary

Studiofest sues William Morris Endeavor for copyright infringement over allegedly stolen creative content.

Summary generated by AI from public docket data. Verify against the original filing before relying on it.

Deep summary (AI brief of the complaint)

# Litigation Brief: Studiofest LLC v. William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC **Case No. 2:25-cv-04294 (C.D. Cal., filed May 13, 2025)** --- **Plaintiff:** Studiofest LLC, a New York limited liability company (production, financing, and distribution company) **Defendant:** William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC (talent agency); Dave Franco and Alison Brie (actors/producers); Michael Shanks (writer-director); Neon Rated, LLC (distributor); and Does 1–10 **Core allegation:** Studiofest alleges that after its casting director submitted the *Better Half* screenplay to WME agents for Franco and Brie in August 2020, Defendants copied the script wholesale and produced the competing film *Together* (dir. Shanks), which was sold to Neon for approximately $17 million following a bidding war at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Defendants allegedly lifted plot, themes, characters, dialogue, mood, setting, pace, and sequence of events—including an identical Spice Girls *Spiceworld* vinyl record ending—from Plaintiff's protected work. **Asserted IP:** - Copyright Registration No. **PA 2-492-220** — *Better…

AI-generated from the filed complaint. Always verify against the original document.

Coverage vs reality meter

Coverage vs realityPress: plaintiff

Coverage: 6P · 1D · 7N

Latest ruling: plaintiff (2026-02-20)

Press coverage leans plaintiff-favorable; no court ruling has been classified yet.

Coverage breakdown — the headlines behind the meter

6 plaintiff-favorable · 1 defendant-favorable · 7 neutral

Plaintiff-favorable
Defendant-favorable

Coverage sentiment vs. docket activity over time

Coverage sentiment vs. docket activity over time▲ plaintiff-favorable▼ defendant-favorable2025-05-12 · coverage 4P / 0D / 2N2025-05-19 · coverage 0P / 0D / 2N2025-06-09 · coverage 0P / 1D / 0N2025-06-16 · coverage 1P / 0D / 0N2025-08-11 · coverage 0P / 0D / 2N2026-02-23 · coverage 1P / 0D / 0N2026-03-02 · coverage 0P / 0D / 1NDocketFiled 2025-05-132025-10-15 · filing · favors plaintiff MEMORANDUM in Opposition to NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Ame…2025-11-05 · filing · favors defendant REPLY in Support of NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Com…2026-02-20 · ruling · favors plaintiff MINUTES (IN CHAMBERS) ORDER DENYING Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 34 ) by Judge Jo…2026-03-06 · filing · favors defendant ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendant Neon Rated, LLC.(Jampol, Nic…2026-03-06 · filing · favors defendant ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendant William Morris Endeavor Ente…2026-03-06 · filing · favors defendant ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendant Michael Shanks.(Jampol, Nico…2026-03-06 · filing · favors defendant ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco.(J…May 25Oct 25Mar 26filingruling■ plaintiff■ defendantweekly coverage · docket events

Counsel of record

For the plaintiff
For the defendant
Court
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Docket no.
2:25-cv-04294
Nature of suit
Copyright
Filed
2025-05-13
Last filing
2026-05-19

Cause

17:101 Copyright Infringement

Entities in this case

StudiofestWME

Docket entries

  1. #542026-05-19

    No description on file

  2. #532026-05-18

    No description on file

  3. #522026-05-14

    No description on file

  4. #502026-04-24

    No description on file

  5. 2026-04-24

    No description on file

  6. #492026-03-13

    ORDER by Judge Josephine L. Staton: granting 47 Non-Resident Attorney Meenakshi Krishnan APPLICATION to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Defendants William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC; Dave Franco; Alison Brie; Michael Shanks; Neon Rated, LLC, designating Nicolas A. Jampol as local counsel. THERE IS NO PDF DOCUMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ENTRY(bmg) (Entered: 03/13/2026)

  7. 2026-03-13

    No description on file

  8. #482026-03-11

    ORDER SETTING SCHEDULING CONFERENCE by Judge Josephine L. Staton. Rule 26 Meeting Report due by 4/24/2026. Scheduling Conference set for 5/8/2026 at 10:30 AM before Judge Josephine L. Staton. (kd) (Entered: 03/11/2026)

  9. #472026-03-11

    APPLICATION of Non-Resident Attorney Meenakshi Krishnan to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Neon Rated, LLC, Michael Shanks, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC (Pro Hac Vice Fee - $450 Fee Paid, Receipt No. ACACDC-41706259) filed by Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Neon Rated, LLC, Michael Shanks, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order) (Jampol, Nicolas) (Entered: 03/11/2026)

  10. #462026-03-10

    NOTICE OF PRO HAC VICE APPLICATION DUE for Non-Resident Attorney Meenakshi Krishnan. A document recently filed in this case lists you as an out-of-state attorney of record. However, the Court has not been able to locate any record that you are admitted to the Bar of this Court, and you have not filed an application to appear Pro Hac Vice in this case. Accordingly, within 5 business days of the date of this notice, you must either (1) have your local counsel file an application to appear Pro Hac Vice (Form G-64) and pay the applicable fee, or (2) complete the next section of this form and return it to the court at cacd_attyadm@cacd.uscourts.gov. You have been removed as counsel of record from the docket in this case, and you will not be added back to the docket until your Pro Hac Vice status has been resolved. (jp) (Entered: 03/10/2026)

  11. #452026-03-06

    ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco.(Jampol, Nicolas) (Entered: 03/06/2026)

  12. #442026-03-06

    ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendant Michael Shanks.(Jampol, Nicolas) (Entered: 03/06/2026)

  13. #432026-03-06

    ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendant William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC.(Jampol, Nicolas) (Entered: 03/06/2026)

  14. #422026-03-06

    ANSWER to Amended Complaint/Petition, 31 filed by Defendant Neon Rated, LLC.(Jampol, Nicolas) (Entered: 03/06/2026)

  15. #412026-02-20

    MINUTES (IN CHAMBERS) ORDER DENYING Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 34 ) by Judge Josephine L. Staton. See Attachment Order for further information. (jp) (Entered: 02/23/2026)

  16. #402026-02-06

    MINUTES OF Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint filed by Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Neon Rated, LLC, Michael Shanks, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC. 34 before Judge Josephine L. Staton: The motion hearing is held. The Court takes the motion under submission and a written order will issue. Court Reporter: Miranda Algorri. (jp) (Entered: 02/10/2026)

  17. #392025-11-24

    TEXT ONLY ENTRY by Judge Josephine L. Staton. On the Court's own motion, the Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint filed by Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Neon Rated, LLC, Michael Shanks, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC. 34 is continued to 02/06/2026, at 10:30 AM before Judge Josephine L. Staton. Counsel shall take notice of this new date. THERE IS NO PDF DOCUMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ENTRY. (kd) TEXT ONLY ENTRY (Entered: 11/24/2025)

  18. 2025-11-24

    No description on file

  19. #382025-11-05

    REPLY in Support of NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint 34 filed by Defendants Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Neon Rated, LLC, Michael Shanks, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Defendants' Objections to Evidence Submitted by Plaintiff in Opposition to Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint)(Jampol, Nicolas) (Entered: 11/05/2025)

  20. #372025-10-15

    MEMORANDUM in Opposition to NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint 34 filed by Plaintiff Studiofest LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Daniel S. Miller in Support of Plaintiffs Opposition to Defendants Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint, # 2 Exhibit A - in Support of Declaration of Daniel S. Miller, # 3 Exhibit B - in Support of Declaration of Daniel S. Miller, # 4 Proposed Order Denying Defendants Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint)(Miller, Daniel) (Entered: 10/15/2025)

  21. #362025-09-29

    ORDER GRANTING Joint Stipulation to Continue Hearing on Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint (Doc. 35 ) by Judge Josephine L. Staton that: The hearing date on Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint 32 be continued from 11/21/2025, at 10:30 AM., to 12/12/2025, at 10:30 AM. (jp) (Entered: 09/30/2025)

  22. #352025-09-26

    Joint STIPULATION to Continue Hearing Date for Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint from November 21, 2025 to December 12, 2025 filed by Plaintiff Studiofest LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order Granting Joint Stipulation to Continue Hearing on Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint)(Rifkin, Samantha) (Entered: 09/26/2025)

  23. 2025-09-05

    No description on file

Docket history from CourtListener/RECAP — most recent first.

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