Vidaamuyarchi: Breakdown remake gets legal notice for $15M?
Vidaamuyarchi: Breakdown remake gets legal notice for $15M?
Vidaamuyarchi starring actor Ajith Kumar in the lead is an upcoming remake of Hollywood road thriller Breakdown (1997), starring Kurt Russel in the lead. Breakdown was writer-director Jonathan Mostow’s first theatrical feature, and the movie was distributed by Paramount Pictures. Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis had backed the movie, alongside Spelling Films.
Lyca Productions is the producer of Vidaamuyarchi, and the film recently had a teaser release. Buzz has it that Paramount Pictures has now sent a legal notice to Lyca Productions, demanding $15M (Rs. 127 Cr.) in copyright damages. Hollywood sleeper hits have always “inspired” the Tamil film industry, and Indian productions are not without lifting stories from time to time.
However, Vidaamuyarchi seemed like an official remake, since the Magizh Thirumeni directed film retained most elements of the original. From the poster designs, to the teaser, to the characters, Vidaamuyarchi screams Breakdown. The Tamil movie was even shot extensively in Azerbaijan to match the deserted aesthetics of Breakdown.
Vidaamuyarchi is scheduled to release for Pongal, 2025 in January. The movie is currently headed for its last schedule in Bangkok. It remains to be seen if there is any truth to the legal issues that have cropped up for the film.
