‘Bad Boys’ Movie Rights Battle Spurs Suit From Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures Industries Inc. filed a lawsuit against screenwriter George Gallo claiming that he can’t claw back the copyrights to a story he wrote that was later developed into the 1995 buddy cop film “Bad Boys.”

The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court said Gallo, who co-wrote “Bulletproof Hearts” in 1985, had created the story as an employee of his personal company called Sweet Revenge Productions Inc., which then sold the rights to create the “Bad Boys” franchise in 1992.

Columbia Pictures, which is overseeing a fourth installment of the franchise starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, argued that ...