LOS ANGELES -- An archeologist and two business partners filed a $100 million suit Wednesday against the makers of the smash movie hit 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' claiming they illegally lifted material from a copyrighted work.
The Superior Court suit was filed by archeologist Robert Lawrence Kuhn; former Worldwide Church of God treasurer Stanley Rader and Henry Cornwall.
Named in the suit were director Steven Spielberg, producer George Lucas, Paramount Pictures and the talent agency of International Creative Management.
Kuhn and Rader claim 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' is based on Kuhn's copyrighted work, 'Ark,' which he submitted to the ICM talent agency. ICM formerly represented Spielberg and Lucas, who made millions with his 'Empire Strikes Back.'
'They are claiming this film is going to gross to $1 billion,' Rader said. 'I read an article by Mr. Lucas recently titled 'The Empire Pays Off.' I suspect in this case the 'Empire' should pay off the people who invested so much time and energy in this project.'
Lucas' attorney, Thomas Pollock, called the charges ridiculous.
'Every time you have a successful movie, there'll be people who come forward who claim it's theirs. As far as I'm concerned, they're insects coming out of the woodwork,' he said.
'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' one of the summer's biggest moneymakers, grossed $50 million in its first month of release.
