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‘Bad Boys’ Settlement: Columbia Pictures & George Gallo End Copyright Battle Over Will Smith Franchise
As the fourth installment in the Will Smith & Martin Lawrence franchise continues to score at the box office, the legal battle is over
Four years after Bad Boys original author George Gallo first went to court over copyright to the lucrative Will Smith and Martin Lawrence franchise, the scribe and Columbia Pictures have settled their differences. “Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(ii), and in light of a settlement between the parties, Plaintiff Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and Defendants George Gallo, Sweet Revenge Productions, Inc., and Robert “Bob” Israel hereby stipulate to the dismissal with prejudice of this action. Author of the 1985 “Bulletproof Hearts” story that was the basis for the first Bad Boys pic in 1995, Gallo has long argued that his efforts were not work for hire.
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