Avatar Facing a Lawsuit from the Makers of Delgo?

Avatar Facing a Lawsuit from the Makers of Delgo?

Legal action may be taken after similarities between the two films were noted on Internet sites.

News
By HULK2099 - Aug 26, 2009 02:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi

James Cameron's new film Avatar could face some legal scrutiny after it was revealed there were certain similarities between Avatar and Delgo, a film considered to be one of the lowest-grossing films in history. Here's the press release from Fathom Studios, which produced Delgo.

In a landscape of sequels and remakes, one of the most expensive films in history, Avatar, is being compared to a low-budget, independent, CG-animated feature, Delgo, produced by Fathom Studios.

The much anticipated Avatar trailer was released online last week and viewer traffic overwhelmed Apple.com's trailer site. Almost immediately, reactions were posted on the internet with comments like "Avatar = Delgo," "Avatar is Basically Delgo II," and "The 7 Eeriest Parallels Between Avatar and Delgo."

USA Today's Pop Candy Blog, New York Magazine and even Huffington Post joined in the discussion circulating the web for the past several days associating James Cameron's new film, Avatar, with the independently-produced, animated feature, Delgo, which was released in theaters last year.

S.T. Vanairsdale of Movieline said, "James Cameron seems to have been influenced by some similar visuals and themes," going on to declare the two films share "uncanny parallels." WorstPreviews.com cited that the "characters and the universes of both films are almost identical." Online movie critic, JoBlo, said Avatar and Delgo were "undeniably similar," also noting that a side-by-side comparison of the two films was "pretty damn conclusive and practically warrant a likeness lawsuit from the lowest grossing movie ever to be filed against the director of the highest grossing movie ever."

Fathom Studios, the Atlanta-based production company behind Delgo, was bombarded with emails as soon as the Avatar trailer went live. A spokesperson for the studio said, "From what we have seen, we are amazed by the visual similarities between the two films and we are reviewing what legal options may be available to us."

Delgo is an independent film that took over a decade from conception to release. The initial proof-of-concept was available on Delgo.com in 1998 with work-in-progress from the feature production accessible via the website's Digital Dailies since 2000 (http://www.delgo.com). According to The Hollywood Reporter, Avatar began production in 2006 after a rewrite of the script.

Delgo was the first independently-produced CG animated feature made in the U.S. It was released on DVD on August 4th, 2009.

I will be sure to keep you posted if any legal action does take place from Fathom Studios regarding these similarities.
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flames809
flames809 - 8/26/2009, 2:55 PM
oh shit they are the same so he took some thing the same from the cartoon movie wow. the teeth,the lines on the blue fored head, the dots on the cartoon are like the same thing, they thing on the nose,and they both have birds to fly on and the design they have on there body
Spilox
Spilox - 8/26/2009, 2:58 PM
Yeah, i don't realy see that much similarity. Except for the fact they are both humanoid.
SabretoothTiger
SabretoothTiger - 8/26/2009, 3:03 PM
i dont see anything thats similar at all unless the characters in delgo look different from eachother cause that picture doesnt look anythin like avatar's characters at all
flames809
flames809 - 8/26/2009, 3:07 PM
you should put both trailer up to show us how they both the same
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 3:22 PM
What a load of crappola! They have NO similarities at all that I can gather from the side by side at top of the page. Just whiny beeatches, pissed cuz the director of the highest grossing movie of all time is doing an "animated" movie about aliens, and they are just butt hurt becuase their's was lowest grossing of all time.
vonstallin
vonstallin - 8/26/2009, 3:28 PM
just trying to cash in...
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 8/26/2009, 3:32 PM
wow, if you go onto youtube and watch this trailer, they look nothing alike, lol
HelaGood
HelaGood - 8/26/2009, 3:35 PM
i think the fact that they fly on winged creatures struck a chord with some people too. and why not say that cameron stole from 'battle for terra' too?! a peaceful race being conquered by humans. or better yet, why not say he copied from 'braveheart'?

joob234
joob234 - 8/26/2009, 3:36 PM
this is bullshit, cuz james cameron came up with the idea of avatar 15 years ago!!! so if my math is correct, thats before 1998
MovieMisfit
MovieMisfit - 8/26/2009, 3:39 PM
Interesting, I read one of the similarity articles the other day. I can't remember which site though...
SabretoothTiger
SabretoothTiger - 8/26/2009, 3:57 PM
oh what about the dark crystal thats kinda similar they used fictional characters lol
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 8/26/2009, 4:00 PM
Dang, SMURFS will be next lol! : D

GEEZUZ, anyway movies gonna be AWESOME!!!
Minotauro
Minotauro - 8/26/2009, 4:13 PM
Lol, I was wondering when somebody was going to post this..Cause I was about too! But this is silly, why would a cheap ass company who made a cheap ass movie try to even think they got any level with what Cameron's movie is..Especially Battle of Terra when these movies both came out last year..What a [frick]ing joke..
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 8/26/2009, 4:20 PM
MINOTAURO @ Its all about MONEY dude! They want it!!!

Cool AVATAR man!
spideysweb
spideysweb - 8/26/2009, 4:30 PM
Some people will do anything for a buck.
Minotauro
Minotauro - 8/26/2009, 4:31 PM
@LEEE777, If I was Jim Cameron, I would go along with this lawsuit and, when everything is said and done! Take everything of that shit stain production and keep its financial profits, just to show superiority!..

Thanks....
Minotauro
Minotauro - 8/26/2009, 4:34 PM
check this out...

http://img.denihilation.com/delgovatar.html
Duhdaduh
Duhdaduh - 8/26/2009, 4:40 PM
yeah well heres the similarites i saw:

1) Both have weirdo looking aliens
2) Is a fantasy/scifi setting

ummm...........?!
DDD
DDD - 8/26/2009, 4:46 PM
Worthington looks great in this pic!

What a big pile of steaming money-grubbing manure!

I still say Section 9 is way better than this movie, I'm not so impressed with the CGI.

And Mel Gibson better jump on this bandwagon quick 'cause Braveheart looks EXACTLY like these aliens...and Thundercats creators need to throw their hat in the ring too...I smell class action suit! lol

But these yellow aliens of Delgo look reptillian (dinosaur-like) and nothing like Avatar's aliens. I say The makers of Jurassic Park better sue Fathom Studios for plagiarism!
LAMEtrain
LAMEtrain - 8/26/2009, 4:47 PM
Minotauro....that link is really helpful. The do look a lot alike. I think I read in another article that avatar has been around for a long time, like before titanic, but the CGI wasn't up to date yet so Cameron had to wait. Maybe delgo ripped him off?
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 4:58 PM
Here are some similarity pics...

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

I don't know...they DO look a lil similar to me, but then again, when is Fern Gully's makers gonna sue too?
Minotauro
Minotauro - 8/26/2009, 5:02 PM
@LAMEtrain, Yeah, That pretty much sums it up about those two movies(Battle of Terra, and Delgo)
Weeton
Weeton - 8/26/2009, 5:10 PM
unless the story also is strikingly similar, i doubt a lawsuit will hold weight. besides, no suit has been filed, its just people noticing similarities. nothing wrong with using similar properties. mutant x anyone? or heroes for that matter.
SabretoothTiger
SabretoothTiger - 8/26/2009, 5:11 PM
the only thing that looks similar are the floatin island and that still is a stretch because avatars look more like a jungle environment and delgo looks like a mountain environment this is stupid i dont see how this makes the front page but my boondock saints 2 article gets deleted without any notice [frick]
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 5:11 PM
@ Weeton, the Delgo people are looking into it to see what lawsuit actions they can take.
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 5:13 PM
They are saying that it's not just the pics, it's in the story line also, ie: race wars for a planet, people riding on flying creatures, strong female characters, etc etc.

I think this lawsuit will be thrown out.
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 5:16 PM
This from movieline.com,

"Can two films on opposite ends of the Hollywood spectrum actually be kindred spirits of creativity — and/or too close for comfort? See some of the uncanniest parallels after the jump, and judge for yourself.

· First of all, both films have heroic male leads who sprint through woodsy shadows in foreign lands:

Both films feature tough but emotional female leads

Both films feature those female leads (among others) flying on the backs of winged reptilian beasts:

Both films feature aircraft zooming through fields of massive floating rocks

Both films feature big, scary, fanged monsters of various types threatening their heroes

Both films feature alien warriors uncorking their fiercest battle cries

And both films feature all of the above as individual hurdles in the undying quest for love.

Oh, and both films harbored ambition and vision that required the better part of a decade to produce. Coincidence?"

I don't know, but I will be seeing avatar either way.
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 5:17 PM
This link shows the pics that go with the complaints.

http://www.movieline.com/2009/08/the-7-eeriest-parallels-between-avatar-and-delgo.php

Check it out if you want.
WulfComicFan
WulfComicFan - 8/26/2009, 5:19 PM
Those "similarities" are in alot of movies, so why don't all movie studios and production companies jump on the bandwagon and sue the hell out of each other, then we would have to wait decades to see anymore movies....Jackasses!
Weeton
Weeton - 8/26/2009, 5:22 PM
films not even out yet, action won't take place until better part of 2010 if that. no way a court will allow the peeps of delgo to compel cameron to release to them a copy of the film.

based on their logic, any property using these characteristics would be subject to lawsuit. so if i decided to make a youtube video with puppets regarding a similar characteristics i could be subject to suit. and lets examine the broader text. human guy goes to alien planet and uses surrogate body...eventually gets it on with alien. that in itself differentiates the two films.
Weeton
Weeton - 8/26/2009, 5:24 PM
@acerimmer1: exactly. soon square-enix is going to jump on board and sue for using the likeness of floating land masses and any fantasy type material...or something redundant like that.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 8/26/2009, 6:14 PM
WULF @ Damn lol! ; D
SabretoothTiger
SabretoothTiger - 8/26/2009, 6:22 PM
hey who here like boondock saints and think that it is relevant to this site since there is a comic book comin out with the sequel
darkkami
darkkami - 8/26/2009, 6:23 PM
I have a funny feeling Fathom did not want to get this attention. I sense that Cameron with his super hyped movie had a person leaking stuff to Fathom. So Fathom may not sue because of the counter suit that could follow.

And even if Fathom came up with the idea and Cameron found out about it and decided to make the same film. I doubt Jim would go through with it. Because of negative stories like this popping up.

There is alway another tale to a story. I wonder what this ones is? Did Cameron risk this thinking Delgo was a low budget movie that no one saw? Or did he have a person trying to work against him? The weird thing is what if its just two great minds thinking alike? Man that would be crazy if Cameron never saw Delgo being that its low budget and he was working on Avatar.
CRITIC17
CRITIC17 - 8/26/2009, 6:27 PM
I can't believe this... Why would James fricking Cameron copy a little tiny CG movie...? He wouldn't... I'm sorry but its stupid to compare the two...
MisterNiceGuy
MisterNiceGuy - 8/26/2009, 6:30 PM
oh jesus
flames809
flames809 - 8/26/2009, 6:39 PM
WulfComicFan @ ur right they ;look the same and with the pic u got there they are the same
superdog
superdog - 8/26/2009, 6:45 PM
Likeness suits are almost impossible to win. The similarities have to be almost spot on. With the number of movies in exist today almost any movie could say other movie looks like it. There are only so many themes that can be explored. Eventually they all start looking alike.
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