'Ray Donovan' Season 2 News: Showtime Accused of Stealing Idea for Hit Series?
In a surprising development, as filming for the second season of Ray Donovan is already underway, a man has claimed that Showtime stole the idea for the crime-drama series from him.
Angelina Jolie and Jon Voight At Odda About His Playing Mickey.
The show revolves around the life of Ray Donovan (Liev Schreiber), who is a Hollywood-fixer, and his wayward family, especially his beastly father Mickey (Jon Voight). Ann Biderman, who also conceptualized Southland, is credited for Ray Donovan, but a man named Brian Larsen is contesting her claim to the idea for the show. Biderman is also an executive producer on Ray Donovan.
Larsen had filed an 11-page breach of implied contract and breach of confidence complaint on Feb. 13. In the text, Larson alleges that Ray Donovan is very similar to his 2009 fixer-series idea The Swissman, a title which was protected with his production company, Radical Pictures LLC.
Here's an excerpt from the document, describing the nature of the action:
"This action arises from Defendants' misappropriation, unauthorized use and exploitation of Plaintiff's protected work, ideas, and concepts for an innovative television program titled The Swissman ("the Concepts") resulting from Showtime Network Defendants' ("Defendants") unexcused breach of an implied contract and breach of confidence that existed between Plaintiffs and Defendants."
As restitution Larsen wants the show to be killed and also that the network pay him a sum of $25,000 for unspecified damages.
The show won a Golden Globe for Jon Voight's portrayal of Mickey. Voight took away the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series.
The show is expected to return with the next season sometime during the summer.
Ray Donovan airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime.
