Alexander Payne Sued for Copyright Infringement Over Script for The Holdovers

Screenwriter Simon Stephenson sued director Alexander Payne and Focus Features in California federal court on Wednesday for copyright infringement. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter both report that Stephenson claims the script for the movie The Holdovers was copied from his own unproduced screenplay titled Frisco. [1][2]

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the lawsuit accuses Payne of transposing major elements from Frisco into the film while adding cosmetic changes to avoid the appearance of copying. The lawsuit states that Payne read the Frisco script in 2013 and again in 2019 before approaching projects. Variety reports that the unproduced Frisco screenplay was set at a children's hospital. [1][2]

Stephenson took his allegations to the Writers Guild of America in 2024, Variety reports. The union advised him that it could not adjudicate the issue and referred him to a lawyer. Variety notes that Payne previously denied the allegations at the Sarajevo Film Festival. [1]

The Holdovers is a 2023 Christmas comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne and written by David Hemingson. It stars Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa. Distributed by Focus Features, the movie was released in the United States in October 2023. [1][9]