Warner Bros. has filed a lawsuit against Innovative Artists Talent and Literary Agency for allowing pre-released film screeners — meant only for the eyes of a select few — to leak to the public.
The studio filed legal documents against the talent agency on Monday, claiming that the company wrongfully stored the movies on a Google Drive, which eventually leaked to file-sharing websites.
Warner Bros. states in the suit that the studio discovered Innovative Artists’ “unlawful conduct” after copies of its “Creed” and “In the Heart of the Sea” appeared online in December 2015, shortly after the studio gave the DVD screeners to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for Oscars consideration.
Warner Bros.’ hired content security, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, first flagged the pirated films to the studio, observing watermarks that traced the films back to a client at Innovative Artists.
The Google Drive was “blatantly illegal,” claimed the studio in the law suit filing, obtained by TheWrap. “That illegality would be obvious to anyone, but especially to Innovative Artists, a talent agency that claims to promote the interests of actors, writers, directors and others whose livelihoods depend critically on respect for copyright,” the suit further stated.
“Plaintiff brings this action to remedy Innovative Artists’ violation of its rights and for an injunction barring Innovative Artists from violating those rights in the future,” it continued.
The studio is requesting a trial by jury, and is seeking monetary damages and an injunction that would bar the agency from repeating the violation.
Warner Bros. declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.