Puzo heirs sue Paramount over game

LOS ANGELES, June 19 (UPI) -- Author Mario Puzo's estate reportedly is suing Hollywood's Paramount Pictures for $1 million over proceeds from a video game inspired by "The Godfather."

Puzo, who died in 1999, wrote the book on which the classic gangster pictures and new video game are based.

The Los Angeles Times said his estate is suing the studio for not sharing the profits from the game with Puzo's heirs.

The lawsuit said Paramount and Puzo agreed he would receive a "significant share" of "audiovisual" products based on "The Godfather."

Puzo's son and executor, Anthony Puzo, said in court papers "The Godfather" video game is included in the deal because it features characters from the book and movies.

"You hear them. You see them. That's audiovisual to me," the estate's lawyer, Bert Fields, told the Times.

The Times said Paramount declined to comment for its story.