上诉法院准许Crichton遗产方继续告华纳兄弟：《The Pitt》与《ER》的相似点「明确且众多」
加利福尼亚州第二区上诉法院11月4日裁定，已故作家 Michael Crichton 的遗产方可以继续推进对华纳兄弟电视公司（Warner Bros. Television）的诉讼，该诉讼指控 HBO Max 热门医疗剧《The Pitt》是 Crichton 经典剧集《ER》（《急诊室的故事》）未经授权的衍生作品。
由三名法官组成的合议庭一致维持洛杉矶高等法院法官 Wendy Chang 的裁决：华纳兄弟曾援引加州反 SLAPP 法、以言论自由为由要求撤销此案，一审法院拒绝撤销，上诉法院此次予以维持。在长达33页的意见中，法官认为两部剧之间的相似点「明确且众多」，包括急诊室场景、快节奏对白、生僻的医学术语、写实的创伤画面、交叠发生的危机，以及一名缺乏经验的年轻医生；曾在《ER》中饰演医生的 Noah Wyle 如今也在《The Pitt》中饰演医生。
此案源于 Crichton 1994 年的一项「冻结权利」合同条款：未经遗产方同意，不得制作《ER》的续集、衍生剧或重启之作。Crichton 的遗孀 Sherri Crichton 于2024年8月在洛杉矶提起诉讼。Crichton 本人已于 2008 年去世。
上诉法院同时给被告一方一项部分胜利：对 Noah Wyle、制作人 John Wells 与 R. Scott Gemmill 以及 WarnerMedia Direct 的「干扰合同关系」指控被撤销并驳回，理由是没有足够证据显示他们明知自己的行为可能违反 Crichton 的合同权利。华纳兄弟方面则声明，《The Pitt》是一部完全原创的剧集，遗产方的指控毫无依据。
裁定并不认定《The Pitt》确实抄袭或衍生自《ER》，这一核心问题有待后续程序决定。案件接下来将进入证据开示阶段，行业报道称若双方不和解，最早可能于2027年夏季由陪审团审理。《The Pitt》已在2025年与2026年黄金时段及创意艺术艾美奖上多次获奖。（来源：加州第二区上诉法院）
Appeals Court Lets Crichton Estate's Lawsuit Over 'The Pitt' Proceed Against Warner Bros. Television
A California appeals court ruled on November 4 that the estate of the late author Michael Crichton may continue its lawsuit against Warner Bros. Television, which alleges that the hit HBO Max medical drama "The Pitt" is an unauthorized derivative of Crichton's classic series "ER."
A three-justice panel of the state Second District Court of Appeal unanimously affirmed Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Wendy Chang's rejection of Warner Bros.' attempt to have the case thrown out on free-speech grounds under California's anti-SLAPP statute. In a 33-page opinion, the justices found "clear and numerous" similarities between the two shows, including emergency room settings, fast-paced dialogue, obscure medical jargon, graphic trauma, overlapping crises and an inexperienced young doctor. Noah Wyle, who played a doctor on "ER," also plays a doctor on "The Pitt."
The case stems from a 1994 "frozen rights" provision in Crichton's contract, which barred sequels, spinoffs or reboots of "ER" without the estate's consent. Sherri Crichton, the widow of Michael Crichton, who died in 2008, sued in Los Angeles in August 2024.
The panel also handed the defense a partial victory: claims of intentional interference with contract against Noah Wyle, producers John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill, and WarnerMedia Direct were reversed and ordered dismissed, as the court found insufficient evidence that they knew they might violate Crichton's contractual rights. Warner Bros. has said "The Pitt" is an entirely original series and that the estate's claims are without merit.
The ruling does not decide whether "The Pitt" is in fact derived from "ER"; that central question remains for later proceedings. The case now moves to discovery, and industry reports say a jury trial could come as early as the summer of 2027 unless the parties settle. "The Pitt" won multiple Emmy Awards at the 2025 and 2026 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards. (Source: California Court of Appeal, Second District)
来源：加州第二区上诉法院
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：Michael Crichton 2002年在哈佛医学院演讲，Jon Chase／哈佛新闻办公室摄，CC BY 3.0（Wikimedia Commons）
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