Apple Prevails in “Tetris” Movie Copyright Lawsuit, as the tech giant recently emerged victorious in a copyright dispute over its 2023 “Tetris” movie. The lawsuit was filed by tech journalist Dan Ackerman, who claimed that the film plagiarized his 2016 book, The Tetris Effect: The Game That Hypnotized the World. Ackerman argued that the film, which dramatized the story behind the popular video game, lifted content directly from his work, including key factual elements and the narrative structure.
Judge Rules in Favor of Apple
However, U.S. District Judge Katherine Failla ruled in favor of Apple, dismissing Ackerman’s claims. The judge determined that the similarities between the book and the movie were insufficient to qualify as copyright infringement. Specifically, she noted that the movie had legally utilized uncopyrightable facts and general ideas, which are not protected under copyright law.
In essence, the judge emphasized that while the book and film covered similar subject matter—Tetris’s creation and its complex journey through global markets—the way these facts were presented could be different, making the movie a legitimate work of creativity rather than a plagiarized version of the book.
Copyright Law and the Protection of Facts
This ruling underscores an important aspect of copyright law: the protection of factual content. While authors and creators can safeguard the way they express ideas, the underlying facts themselves are not copyrighted. As such, Apple was within its rights to produce a film based on the true events surrounding the creation of Tetris, even if they overlapped with Ackerman’s work.
The case sets a noteworthy precedent for copyright disputes in nonfiction works, particularly in how courts balance creative expression with the use of factual material in storytelling.
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