Screenwriter Simon Stephenson sues Alexander Payne over alleged Holdovers copyright infringement

Screenwriter Simon Stephenson filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against director Alexander Payne on Wednesday in California federal court, according to reports from The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety. The lawsuit alleges that the Oscar-nominated film The Holdovers was plagiarized from Stephenson's unproduced screenplay titled Frisco. The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety all confirmed the legal action against the director. [1][2][3]

Along with Payne, the lawsuit names screenwriter David Hemingson, producer Mark Johnson, Miramax, Focus Features, and Universal Home Entertainment as defendants, according to The Wrap. Variety also reported that Focus Features is named as a defendant in the action. The Wrap reported that Stephenson accuses the defendants of copyright infringement and plagiarism, alleging the script was copied from the overall story down to the construction and nuance of individual exchanges. [1][3]

Stephenson contends that Payne transposed major elements from his screenplay set at a children's hospital into the film while adding cosmetic changes, according to reports by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Stephenson claims Payne read his script in 2013 and again in 2019. Stephenson contributed to the animated film Luca and worked on Paddington 2 and Wonka, according to The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter. [1][2][3]

The lawsuit follows earlier public friction surrounding the movie. The Hollywood Reporter and Variety both reported that Stephenson previously raised his allegations in 2024 on the eve of the Academy Awards. According to Variety, Stephenson brought his concerns to the Writers Guild of America in 2024, but the union advised him that it could not adjudicate the matter. [2][3]