Fox in dock over 'stolen' movie claim

TWENTIETH Century-Fox has been hit with a $100m (£60.2m) lawsuit from a Hollywood producer and a screenwriter who claim the entertainment giant stole their movie idea and turned it into the blockbuster League of Extraordinary Gentleman.

Lawyers for Martin Poll and Larry Cohen have filed papers at a California court alleging that Fox's hit mimics their film project Cast of Characters, first pitched to Fox staff in 1993.

The filing alleges the characters, plot, dialogue and mood in Cast of Characters are suspiciously mirrored in the Fox feature film production, which stars Sean Connery and has grossed $65m in the US. Fox's 'League' depicts a band of fictional literary heroes - including Sherlock Holmes, Tom Sawyer and Captain Nemo - who team up to fight an evil genius.

The two men said both films featured virtually the same set of characters. Fox 'flagrantly and unlawfully stole Cast of Characters in violation of the copyright'.

Fox reportedly dismissed the multi-million dollar legal challenge, claiming its film was based on a 'graphic' novel written by comic-book author Alan Moore, which carried the same name.