Disney/Pixar sued by UK screenwriter

Jake Mandeville-Anthony wants to stop the release of 'Cars 2' claiming that the movie is based in parts on the story that submitted to them in early 1990s. Anthony moved to a US district court claiming that he created a three-part screenplay titled 'Cookie & Co.' about the true-life adventure race-car driver Michael Owen Perkins, who won a 1988 race, and a second work titled 'Cars' which included a treatment, sample screenplay, 46 animated car character descriptions, 10 cars character sketches, and a marketing and merchandising plan, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The screenwriter says he sent copies of the works to various production companies, including Disney. Anthony also says he met in person with a Lucasfilm executive named Jim Morris in 1993 and delivered copies of his work.

Pixar and Lucasfilm have had relations with each other since the 1980s, when Pixar acquired certain divisions of the George Lucas company. In 2005, according to the complaint, Morris joined Pixar and is currently general manager at the company.

The lawsuit isn't the first action that Anthony has filed against Disney/Pixar. The two sides are already engaged in a semi-private dispute in the UK. In his latest complaint, Anthony points to a long list of similarities among the characters in each of the works.

The first animated Cars film grossed over USD 450 million at the box office. Pixar hasn't responded to requests for comment.