Teacher Sues Netflix For Copyright Infringement Over Outer Banks

Netflix and the creators of their hit show Outer Banks have had a lawsuit filed against them by Kevin Wooten, a North Carolina English teacher and author. Wooten is claiming copyright infringement, saying that Outer Banks stole the plot from his 2016 novel “Pennywise: The Hunt For Blackbeard’s Treasure.”

Filed on December 21, 2020, the official suit alleges that the show and Wooten’s book both take place on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and have the same number of main characters with similar storylines who discover similar clues leading them to buried treasure. He also states they both feature similar antagonists who steal said buried treasure.

Wooten wants to prove that the creators of Outer Banks had access to his book before making the show. He claims this is possible because the creators of the show had named Wilmington North Carolina, where Winton sold and promoted the book, as a source of inspiration. Winton is seeking payment for damages as well as ongoing royalties from Outer Banks, which was renewed for a second season on Netflix.

This is not the first time this year that Netflix has faced a lawsuit over one of its original properties. Earlier this year, the Arthur Conan Doyle estate filed a lawsuit over the film Enola Holmes over its portrayal of the character of Sherlock Holmes. The lawsuit has recently been dismissed. It remains to be seen whether the lawsuit over Outer Banks will be settled the same way.

Outer Banks, a teen adventure and drama series, has been a hit for the streaming platform. While there can be similarities seen between it and Wooten’s novel, as outlined in the lawsuit, neither are the first to follow similar plot beats. Popular films like The Goonies feature kids and teenagers seeking buried treasure. Television shows like Blood and Treasure take similar plots into a more adult universe. The 1883 novel Treasure Island has inspired a century’s worth of treasure hunting stories in all forms.

However, the specific setting of the Outer Banks of North Carolina may suggest that the lawsuit could be more substantial. Neither the creators of Outer Banks or Netflix, who remained the biggest streaming service of the past year, have responded to the claims.

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Source: Variety

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