‘ER’ creator Michael Crichton’s estate sues Warner Bros. over upcoming hospital drama ‘The Pitt’

The estate of Michael Crichton has sued Warner Bros. Television, claiming that the studio is producing a new medical drama, “The Pitt,” as a rebranded and unauthorized reboot of Crichton’s iconic show “ER.” After failing to reach an agreement with Warner Bros. to produce an official “ER” reboot, Crichton’s estate, led by his widow Sherri, alleges that the studio proceeded with “The Pitt” without their consent.

“The Pitt” is set in Pittsburgh, featuring Noah Wyle, who starred as John Carter in “ER,” along with other “ER” alums like executive producer John Wells and showrunner R. Scott Gemmill, all named in the lawsuit. Warner Bros. denies the claims, stating that “The Pitt” is an original show.

Crichton had a “frozen rights” provision in his contract, preventing Warner Bros. from making any derivatives of “ER” without his or his estate’s approval. The estate argues that Warner Bros. violated this agreement, and the lawsuit seeks to halt production of “The Pitt” and demands punitive and compensatory damages.

The dispute began when Warner Bros. started developing an “ER” reboot for HBO’s Max in 2020 without informing Sherri Crichton. Negotiations broke down in 2022, leading to the creation of “The Pitt.” The estate’s lawsuit claims that Warner Bros. has a history of diminishing Crichton’s contributions, citing a similar incident with his “Westworld” series credit.

For more information see Associated Press’s “‘ER’ creator Michael Crichton’s estate sues Warner Bros. over upcoming hospital drama ‘The Pitt’” New York Post, August 28, 2024.

Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.