Dave Franco and Alison Brie‘s Sundance hit “Collectively” simply may be coming aside. The indie function, which was acquired by Neon in a $17 million deal out of Sundance, is on the middle of a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement.
The lawsuit was filed on Could 13 in Los Angeles Superior Court docket by StudioFest, which claims that actors Franco and Brie turned down a suggestion to star in 2023 movie “Higher Half” that the studio financed. The lawsuit accuses Franco, Brie, and company WME of making their very own model of “Higher Half” with fellow WME shopper Michael Shanks, who made his function directorial debut with “Collectively” from a script he wrote. Neon, which purchased the title and can launch the movie July 30, can be named within the lawsuit.
Each “Higher Half” and “Collectively” are physique horror dramas that comply with a pair who actually grow to be fused collectively. The lawsuit lists the similarities between the 2 movies, together with these particular plot factors: The feminine characters are a academics whereas the male characters are “punk artist[s] searching for their massive break”; rodents are caught collectively as a recurring visible motif; the protagonist couple grow to be connected on the genitals within the rest room; and the ultimate scene each have the couple taking part in a vinyl report of the identical Spice Ladies album and dancing.
“This lawsuit is frivolous and with out benefit,” a WME spokesperson instructed IndieWire. “The details on this case are clear and we plan to vigorously defend ourselves.” IndieWire has reached out to representatives for Franco, Brie, Shanks, and Neon for remark.
Patrick Phelan wrote the “Higher Half” screenplay in 2019, which was optioned by StudioFest. The casting director for the movie emailed Franco and Brie’s respective WME brokers on the time to supply $20,000 every for the lead roles. Connor Paolo and Dianne Doan have been later solid within the lead roles; Phelan made his directorial debut with the function, which was launched in 2023.
THR included a portion of the authorized criticism citing how the producers at StudioFest had their “worst nightmare unfold” after watching “Collectively” at Sundance 2025, two years after “Higher Half” debuted.
“This isn’t a generic comedic trope — it’s a extremely particular, inventive selection that performs out in an almost equivalent style with each works framing the scene utilizing a visible shot of the minor character’s ft peeking out from simply outdoors the door,” the criticism reads. “Defendants used the identical mixture of the awkward bodily attachment, the urgency to stay hidden, and the romantic subtext of the looming outsider to realize a considerably comparable really feel.”
“Collectively” star and government producer Franco beforehand instructed THR that WME organized a gathering between him and Shanks to discus the function; Brie later joined the movie after her husband Franco forwarded her the script. “I bear in mind studying the [‘Together’] script and instantly turning to Alison to say, ‘I believe we must always act on this one collectively,’ as a result of the characters had been collectively for over a decade,” he stated. “I figured that our real-life relationship may lend itself nicely to that dynamic.”