Google Sued for International Streaming of ‘Austin Powers’

A German citizen who bought film copyrights from a defunct production company sued Google LLC in Manhattan federal court for allegedly streaming movies including “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” without his permission.

Ralf Hartmann says Capella Films sold him its copyrights in nine films in 2008, and Google has digitally distributed some of the films without his permission starting in 2017, according to the Friday complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

According to Hartmann, his rights include the copyright to the first “Austin Powers” film outside of the U.S. and Canada. Hartmann ...