*Three Los Angeles screenwriters have filed a federal lawsuit against Issa Rae’s ColorCreative, Sony Pictures, TriStar, and screenwriter Syreeta Singleton.
According to Hot97, the suit alleges that the comedy film “One of Them Days” copies their 2020 script “One of Those Days” in terms of character development, plot structure, and comedic tone, accusing the defendants of copyright infringement and idea theft.
The plaintiffs, Joshua Isaacson, Shon Oku, and Tyrone Perry, first shared their script in 2023 with producer Danny Hamouie, who never responded and is not named in the lawsuit. In April 2024, they pitched the screenplay to Green Eggs Go H.A.M., led by Roman Arabia and Xavier Charles, who declined. Weeks later, Rae’s production company announced “One of Them Days,” raising concerns due to Charles’ past collaboration with Rae on her Emmy-winning HBO series “Insecure.”
The film, directed by Lawrence Lamont and starring Keke Palmer and SZA as friends scrambling to pay rent after a boyfriend’s betrayal, grossed over $51 million on a $14 million budget since its January 17 release. The plaintiffs argue Rae’s team “misappropriated Plaintiffs’ original expression and passed it off as their own without authorization, credit, or compensation.”
Veteran screenwriter John Brancato, retained by the plaintiffs, reviewed both scripts and concluded that the similarities were “substantial”.
Scroll to continue reading
Originating from Sony’s CoCre lab, a 2018 initiative with ColorCreative to support diverse screenwriters, “One of Them Days” earned a 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating and held a top 10 spot on Netflix for three weeks. A sequel is now in development at TriStar, with Palmer and SZA expected to reprise their roles, though plot details remain under wraps.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages, attorney’s fees, and a jury trial.
Neither Rae nor Sony has publicly addressed the allegations.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Keke Palmer and SZA Set to Return for ‘One of Them Days’ Sequel
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
