Does Copyright Protect Film Characters?

Law360, New York (September 4, 2014, 11:59 AM EDT) -- That's the question that is at the heart of a lawsuit recently filed by a California-based production company. In Bengal Mangle Productions LLC v. Seth MacFarlane, et al. 14-cv-5498 (C. Dist. CA 2014), Bengal Mangle Productions alleges that the idea for the stuffed toy character featured in the movie "Ted" was stolen by Seth MacFarlane, Fuzzy Door Productions, Media Rights Capital and Universal Studios. The lawsuit alleges that Bangle Mangle originally created the idea of a vulgar, foul-mouthed, stuffed bear that lives in a human world and who likes drinking, smoking and prostitutes....

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