‘The Pitt’ And ‘ER’ Similar Enough For Lawsuit To Proceed, Judge Rules

A U.S. appeals court has ruled that a lawsuit claiming TV drama The Pitt is an unauthorized reboot of ER can proceed to jury trial. A three-judge panel found “clear and numerous similarities” between the two shows, citing shared settings, pacing, medical jargon, and character types. Sherri Crichton, widow of ER creator Michael Crichton, argues Warner Bros. violated a “frozen rights” contract clause prohibiting reboots or sequels without his consent. Producers allegedly “moved the show from Chicago to Pittsburgh, rebranded it The Pitt, and ploughed ahead without any attribution or compensation.” Warner Bros. previously called the lawsuit “baseless.” Separate claims against actor-producer Noah Wyle and two other producers were dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Story URL