Prolific executive producer Mark Gordon is currently facing legal charges stemming from his latest TV offering on ABC, "Quantico". Reports say that Gordon is being accused of stealing the premise of the hit ABC series from a documentary which aired on CNN years ago.
Paula Pizes, Barbara Leibovitz and Jamie Hellman – who represent the plaintiffs – have filed a lawsuit claim against Mark Gordon and his Mark Gordon company alleging that the company stole the Priyanka Chopra-starred series from a documentary by Hellman and Leibovitz. The claim says that the said docu had been optioned way back in 2002. The Hollywood Reporter wrote last Thursday.
Initially, the Quantico Project was discussed as a movie following the storyline of a conspiracy inside the FBI Academy, Deadline reports.
An email between MGC and Paizes which dated on July 2002 has detailed the early description of the potential project, saying that the concept was “a story about struggle/conflict and change — who saves who?? who are the real good guys etc?? who can you trust??”
The suits claim that after giving MGC a three-month extension, Gordon has expressed his interests in pursuing the feature film – saying in a February 2003 email that he “would be happy to discuss this when I get back. It’s a good idea. Gordon was working with another project during this period.
However, MGC nor Gordon did not make any additional efforts to make "Quantico" Project happen – the lawsuit says.
To this end, Gordon and MGC are now being sued for breach of contract, fiduciary duty, a “based on” credit for Hellman and Leibovitz’s documentary and actual and punitive damages. The details of the legal charges have been shared by TV.com.
The Mark Gordon Company hasn’t release a comment following the suit.
"Quantico" is one of this year’s breakout TV series which debuted this fall on ABC. It follows the journey of the FBI recruits called the NATs as they navigate personal and professional relationships inside the academy. However, after a terrorist attack in New York, Agent Alex Parrish (Priyanka Chopra) is forced to use her skills to clear her name as the prime suspect.
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