Shaun Gray, the cousin of “Top Gun: Maverick” screenwriter Eric Singer, filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures on Sunday. Gray claims he wrote crucial action scenes for the film but was neither credited nor compensated for his contributions.
Gray, primarily a visual effects artist, asserts that he worked on the film’s script for five months, collaborating with his cousin and director Joseph Kosinski. He says he kept detailed records of his contributions, including time-stamped files.
The lawsuit accuses Hollywood’s power players of exploiting Gray’s creative work, demanding accountability from Paramount, which profited from the film’s success.
Gray had previously collaborated with Singer on several projects. According to his IMDb profile, he served as an uncredited “writing consultant” for Singer’s film Only the Brave, and also worked as a writer’s assistant on The International.
His involvement in Top Gun: Maverick was confirmed by J.J. “Yank” Cummings, a former Navy fighter pilot who advised on the film. In a 2022 interview with GQ, Cummings recalled working with Gray, Singer, and Kosinski on the script. “We spent five days straight in a hotel room in San Diego going through the screenplay line by line,” Cummings said. “Later, we worked for five days in Santa Monica, with Joe dropping in for the final two days.”
Gray’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, is a veteran copyright lawyer known for previous lawsuits, including one on behalf of the family of Top Gun’s original source writer, Ehud Yonay. Although that case was dismissed, it is currently under appeal.
Paramount responded to Gray’s lawsuit, calling the claim “without merit.” A company spokesperson expressed confidence that the court would reject the lawsuit.
Gray’s lawsuit claims he wrote at least twelve action scenes for Top Gun: Maverick, scenes that he argues contributed to the film’s success. He is seeking joint ownership of the film’s copyright and an injunction to prevent further use of his material while the case is pending.
Eric Singer shared writing credit for Top Gun: Maverick with Christopher McQuarrie and Ehren Kruger, while Peter Craig and Justin Marks received “story by” credit. The writing team was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
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