3 publishers · first seen Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:21 UTC · updated Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:00 UTC
A California appeals court has ruled that the lawsuit brought by the widow and estate of 'ER' creator Michael Crichton against 'The Pitt' can proceed. The court found that the two shows have enough similarities, such as their emergency room setting and fast pace, to warrant the case moving forward. Warner Bros. Television, the production company behind both shows, maintains that 'The Pitt' is an original series. The court dismissed actor-producer Noah Wyle and two other producers as defendants, stating there was insufficient evidence they were aware of the contractual rights at issue. The case will now go to a jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Sherri Crichton, the widow of Michael Crichton, filed the lawsuit in 2024, alleging that 'The Pitt' is an unauthorized reboot of 'ER'. Crichton had a 'frozen rights' provision in his contract that prohibited any spin-offs, sequels, or reboots of 'ER' without his consent. Warner Bros. had sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the shows only shared generic similarities.
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