"ER" veteran Noah Wyle is a shoo-in for Best Actor at the Golden Globes this Sunday, thanks to his stellar performance in "The Pitt," but behind-the-scenes drama threatens to tarnish the show's success.
Creator Michael Crichton's widow Sherri has launched a lawsuit against Wyle and producers Warner Bros. Television, alleging that "The Pitt" is a blatant rip-off of her late husband's 1990s NBC hit. Crichton, who also wrote "Jurassic Park," claims that his estate was frozen out after spending over a year trying to make a deal for an ER reboot, which would have been similar to "The Pitt."
Crichton alleged that Wyle and the producers made only cosmetic changes to create what amounts to a new show, moving from Chicago to Pittsburgh and changing Dr. John Carter's character to Dr. Michael Robinavitch. The show has won critical acclaim, including an Emmy and a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor for Wyle.
However, a source close to the situation says that Crichton's lawsuit is more about protecting her husband's legacy than just going after "The Pitt." A judge ruled the case can proceed, but Warner Bros. are trying to have it dismissed.
A key email from Wyle to Sherri in 2023 reveals his emotional response to their failed negotiations for an ER reboot and a deeper desire to revive Crichton's character on the show. However, a counter-argument by Crichton's estate suggests that Warner Bros was being "greedy" not just about avoiding paying royalties but also regarding rights of other creators.
It remains to be seen whether "The Pitt" will triumph at the Golden Globes despite this controversy or if it may fall victim to these behind-the-scenes issues.
Creator Michael Crichton's widow Sherri has launched a lawsuit against Wyle and producers Warner Bros. Television, alleging that "The Pitt" is a blatant rip-off of her late husband's 1990s NBC hit. Crichton, who also wrote "Jurassic Park," claims that his estate was frozen out after spending over a year trying to make a deal for an ER reboot, which would have been similar to "The Pitt."
Crichton alleged that Wyle and the producers made only cosmetic changes to create what amounts to a new show, moving from Chicago to Pittsburgh and changing Dr. John Carter's character to Dr. Michael Robinavitch. The show has won critical acclaim, including an Emmy and a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor for Wyle.
However, a source close to the situation says that Crichton's lawsuit is more about protecting her husband's legacy than just going after "The Pitt." A judge ruled the case can proceed, but Warner Bros. are trying to have it dismissed.
A key email from Wyle to Sherri in 2023 reveals his emotional response to their failed negotiations for an ER reboot and a deeper desire to revive Crichton's character on the show. However, a counter-argument by Crichton's estate suggests that Warner Bros was being "greedy" not just about avoiding paying royalties but also regarding rights of other creators.
It remains to be seen whether "The Pitt" will triumph at the Golden Globes despite this controversy or if it may fall victim to these behind-the-scenes issues.
think this whole thing is super weird... like, can't we just celebrate good acting and leave the drama out? wyle's performance in "the pitt" is straight fire lol... but honestly, wouldn't sherri crichton be thinking about her husband's legacy all these years later? seems kinda petty now 
anyway, what do i really know? i'll still watch the golden globes and pretend this drama doesn't exist 
. like, sherri crichton's all about protecting her hubby's legacy, but i feel for noah wyle, he was genuinely trying to bring back dr. john carter 
. and honestly, who doesn't love a good er revival? 
the drama tho... i mean, warner bros is trying to shut down sherri's lawsuit, but if they're being greedy about creators' rights, that's just not cool 
. can we just have one happy ending for once? 
. On one hand, you've got Wyle's stellar performance and the show winning all these awards, but on the other hand, there's this huge lawsuit that's threatening to tarnish it all.
Does she really believe "The Pitt" is a direct rip-off of ER, or is this just about getting paid out for what could have been an ER reboot? The more I read about it, the more confused I get 
.
I feel for Michael Crichton's widow - it must be really tough to deal with all these issues after his passing. But Wyle and Warner Bros. are totally in the wrong here... changing Dr. Carter's character like that is just so tacky 
. And now they're trying to dismiss the lawsuit? Like, come on guys! 