Warner Bros. Denied Contract Suit Dismissal Over ‘ER’ Reboot (1)

Warner Bros. Television failed to convince a California court that a breach of contract suit brought by the estate of the late author and screenwriter Michael Crichton violates its First Amendment speech rights.

Crichton’s estate is suing over HBO Max’s new medical drama “The Pitt,” arguing that it’s derivative of the long-running NBC hit series “ER”. The estate says Warner Bros. moved ahead with the new show—which stars original “ER” cast member Noah Wyle—after unsuccessful negotiations on a reboot.

The case may proceed under California’s anti-SLAPP statute because the plaintiffs demonstrated that their claims meet the minimal merit standard, Judge ...