SUBMITTED BY Timbo

September 26, 2003 — 20th Century Fox is being sued by a screenwriter and producer, who are accusing them of stealing their idea for the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Martin Poll and Larry Cohen are seeking $100m in damages, $35m more than the film made in the US.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, starring Sir Sean Connery, brought together a team of Victorian-era heroes including Captain Nemo and Dorian Gray.

Fox has dismissed the lawsuit as "absurd nonsense".

The company said the film was based on a graphic novel created by comic book creator Alan Moore.

But the lawsuit alleges that Mr Cohen and Mr Poll pitched the idea to Fox several times between 1993 and 1996, under the name the Cast of Characters.

It goes on to allege that Fox commissioned Mr Moore to create the comic book as "smokescreen" for poaching the idea, and cutting the pair out of the production.

Read the full article at the link below.