14 January 2026
Paramount has successfully shut down a copyright lawsuit over Top Gun: Maverick, with a New York federal judge ruling that the writer bringing the claim never owned copyright in the first place.
What Happened
A writer, Shaun Gray, sued Paramount Global, claiming he wasn’t paid for script contributions to the Tom Cruise sequel. Gray argued that scenes he wrote appeared in the final film and that—because he allegedly wasn’t under a work-made-for-hire agreement—he was entitled to copyright ownership and a share of profits.
The film, starring Tom Cruise, went on to gross nearly US$1.5 billion worldwide, raising the stakes significantly.
The Court’s Ruling
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff dismissed the claim outright.
The reason was simple and decisive:
Gray’s work was based entirely on the original Top Gun universe, which Paramount owns. That made his scenes derivative works—and derivative works that infringe the original cannot themselves be copyrighted.
In short:
You can’t claim copyright in material that already belongs to someone else.
The judge also allowed Paramount to continue pursuing counterclaims, including allegations that Gray infringed Paramount’s copyrights and concealed his contributions until after the movie’s release.
Why This Case Matters
This decision reinforces several hard truths for creatives and studios alike:
- Derivative content doesn’t create new ownership just because it’s creative or valuable
- Work-made-for-hire disputes won’t save invalid copyright claims
- Profit participation depends on clean rights, not assumptions
It also shows how aggressively studios will defend franchise IP—and how unforgiving courts can be when ownership foundations are weak.
The Bottom Line
If your work is built on an existing franchise, characters, or universe, copyright ownership is not automatic. Without clear agreements and valid rights, even major contributions can leave you with nothing—and potential liability.
Protect the Rights Before the Revenue
At IP Solved, we help creators, studios, and businesses:
- structure work-made-for-hire and collaboration agreements correctly,
- assess ownership risks in derivative works,
- avoid costly disputes before projects launch, and
- defend or enforce copyright with a commercial strategy in mind.
Talk to IP Solved before assumptions about ownership turn into litigation.
