M. Night Shyamalan Cleared of Copyright Charges in ‘Servant’ Trial

A federal jury delivered a unanimous verdict in favor of M. Night Shyamalan and Apple, bringing an end to a copyright trial that accused the defendants of stealing elements from an independent film for the streaming series “Servant.”

The trial, which took place over seven days in Riverside, Calif., saw director Francesca Gregorini alleging that Shyamalan and his collaborators had used narrative elements from her 2013 film, “The Truth About Emanuel,” without giving credit. Gregorini sought up to $81 million in damages, pointing out similarities between her film and “Servant.”

Gregorini’s film revolves around a delusional mother who treats a baby doll as if it were real, along with a nanny who plays along with her delusion. She claimed that “Servant” had significant plot similarities with her movie.

Shyamalan testified during the trial that he and his team were unaware of Gregorini’s film before the litigation and stated that the accusations were a misunderstanding. He emphasized that he would never condone or allow such actions in his work.

Gregorini, on the other hand, expressed shock upon seeing the trailer for “Servant” and felt that her work had been plagiarized. She decided to pursue legal action despite advice against it, citing a need to hold the defendants accountable and prevent similar instances in the future.

The defense argued that there were distinct differences between the two projects, with “Servant” being a supernatural thriller and “The Truth About Emanuel” being a coming-of-age drama.

The jury watched both the film and the show during the trial, heard from experts, and considered Apple’s financial records before reaching a verdict. The legal battle, which spanned over five years, was initially dismissed but later reinstated by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

With the jury ruling in favor of Shyamalan and Apple, the case has come to a close, marking the end of a contentious legal dispute that has spanned several years.