Take-Two denies it “threatened to sue the shit out” Darabont over “LA Noire”

Filmmaker Frank Darabont has claimed he had to change the title of a new noir series set in Los Angeles after LA Noire publisher Rockstar threatened legal action. However, Take-Two has responded to the allegation, stating there’s no truth to it.

“It was going to be called LA Noir, based on the book by John Buntin,” the Shawshank Redemption director told i09 of the new series’s title change.

“But the video game company with the video game called LA Noire (with an e) threatened to sue the shit out of me, TNT, every company that actually ever worked in Hollywood. And they have the billions of dollars to back it up, apparently.

“So we’re changing the title, and I do believe the title is going to be Lost Angels.”

Take-Two responded to the allegations, telling Gamespot: “It’s unfortunate that Mr. Darabont finds it necessary to gain publicity by making inaccurate statements.”

The new shows is set in 1947 and stars Jon Bernthal.

Thanks, Kotaku.

8 comments

KrazyKraut
25/01/13, 9:27 am

well…

pukem0n
25/01/13, 10:07 am

oh, so you are telling me nobody in the industry who saw the name of your show thought it would be a good idea to change the name because there is a game by the same name, that was sold by the millions apparently, but is completely unknown by the looks of it?

Seems legit.

DeVitowned
25/01/13, 10:07 am

Darabont + Bernthal + noir? Sign me up!

Mus42
25/01/13, 12:12 pm

@3 Corrected to avoid a lawsuit – Darabont + Bernthal + Angels ? Sign me up!

Stephany Nunneley
25/01/13, 3:39 pm

The original post has been updated with a response from Take-Two.

DSB
25/01/13, 3:42 pm

“It’s unfortunate that Mr. Darabont finds it necessary to gain publicity by making inaccurate statements.”

So apparently Take Two have Bond villains doing their statements now.

mreko3230
25/01/13, 3:52 pm

I don’t get it, if John Buntin is involved and its based on his book and his book’s title is “L.A. Noir”, I don’t see where Rockstar would have a legal leg to stand on. The book was released a year before the game of the same name. If you went by “who was first”, Buntin should have sued Rockstar. Something tells me they just didn’t want to deal with the litigation.

By Rockstar’s own admission, L.A. Noire was a sales numbers disappointment, maybe they could have got some symbiotic cross promotion and helped sell a few more copies.

Beta
25/01/13, 3:56 pm

Stunk of a free publicity grab the moment I saw it.

Sue him anyway take two! (I kid)