McGregor blockbuster facing lawsuit in US

Published on 11/08/2005 00:06

A LAWSUIT alleging that Ewan McGregor's latest blockbuster, The Island, was based on an independent 1979 film has been filed in the US.

The producers of Parts: The Clonus Horror, asked a New York court to withdraw the Hollywood film from cinemas and block further release. They also requested unspecified damages and part of the proceeds from The Island, according to Variety magazine.

The legal challenge is the latest in a series of setbacks for the film's producers who have faced poor box office ratings and lukewarm reviews in the US.

The Island, directed by Michael Bay, is a futuristic thriller starring Scottish actor McGregor and Scarlett Johansson as clones raised as a source of spare parts for humans. They escape into the real world and try to shut down the cloning facility. The 1979 film tells the story of a secret colony of clones raised in case humans need spare organs. One escapes and is chased as he tries to expose the facility.

DreamWorks said in a statement: "The Island was independently created and does not infringe anyone's copyrights."