Filmmaker Alexander Payne and writer David Hemingson are named in a copyright infringement lawsuit accusing them of using material from an unproduced screenplay to create the Oscar-winning film “The Holdovers.” The suit is filed by screenwriter Simon Stephenson, who alleges the movie’s script is based on his own work.
Outlet coverage focuses on the same core allegation: Stephenson says the “The Holdovers” screenplay drew from his unpublished script, which he describes as set at a children’s hospital. Variety notes Stephenson’s prior step of bringing the matter to the Writers Guild of America in 2024, before the issue proceeded toward legal action. The Hollywood Reporter adds that Stephenson’s filing follows earlier press controversy around the time of the Academy Awards.
Overall, the outlets agree on who is suing whom and the broad plagiarism claim tied to an unproduced script. Differences mainly concern added context—such as the Writers Guild reference and the mention of prior press friction—rather than new, conflicting facts.
