Netflix’s Outer Banks Creators Sued For Copyright Infringement
The creators of the Netflix action-adventure teen drama series Outer Banks are being sued for copyright infringement. The show was released on the streaming platform in April and follows two groups of people called the “Pogues” and the “Kooks” that live in the area of North Carolina referred to as the Outer Banks, which is made up of a string of barrier islands. The Pogues soon discover a clue leading to a treasure that the group leader’s missing father had been chasing for over 20 years, fighting tooth and nail against the Kooks every step of the way to reach their final goal.
According to Variety, an author named Kevin Wooten, writer of Pennywise: The Hunt for Blackbeard’s Treasure, is suing the creators of the Outer Banks show (Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke) for copyright infringement. Wooten claims that his book and the television show are more than coincidentally similar, stating that both stories take place in the Outer Banks, both have the same number of characters and have them all following the same storylines, and have the treasure hunters discovering similar clues during their treasure hunt. Wooten also believes that the show creators were in North Carolina when he was there on a tour promoting the book, hopefully proving that they had access to his material.
If what Wooten is seeking to prove in court is true, it would be a huge disappointment for eager fans that invested time in the first season, being ultimately left with dozens of cliffhangers and unanswered plot questions. This is especially true due to the fact that Outer Banks season 2 was just announced earlier this summer. It's unclear what impact, if any, this lawsuit could have on Netflix's show. But it's not the first time a Netflix show has been sued for copyright infringement, as Stranger Things was previously. That show has continued on and it's possible Outer Banks will as well.
Source: Variety