Original ‘Road House’ Writer Sues Amazon for AI Voice Use

R. Lance Hill, the screenwriter of the original “Road House” movie, has filed a lawsuit against Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and its parent company, Amazon. Hill accuses Amazon of copyright infringement and violating agreements with the Screen Actors Guild by using artificial intelligence (AI) to replicate actors’ voices in the 2024 reboot of “Road House.”

The lawsuit, filed in California, alleges that Amazon refused to acknowledge the date on which the copyright of “Road House” should have reverted to Hill. Instead, Amazon proceeded with the production of the movie, which is based on Hill’s screenplay. In 2021, Hill requested that the copyright of the screenplay revert back to him on November 11, 2023, nearly 40 years after he transferred the copyright to production company United Artists.

Amazon allegedly attempted to complete the “Road House” remake one day before the copyright would return to Hill. They used AI during last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike to replicate actors’ voices and speed up production. Hill further alleges that Amazon used AI during the strike, knowing it violated the collective bargaining agreements of SAG-AFTRA and the Director’s Guild of America, which Amazon had signed off on.

The “Road House” remake, led by Jake Gyllenhaal, was completed in January, years after Hill’s copyright should have been returned.

The use of AI in entertainment has become a contentious issue. After the end of the actors’ guild strike in November, some members expressed concerns about the deal reached with major studios. They argued that the regulations around the use of AI and the appropriate compensation of actors whose digital replicas are used do not go far enough. Justine Bateman, an AI adviser to the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee, highlighted loopholes in the contract that could lead to actors appearing in projects they never consented to or were compensated for.

The original “Road House,” released in 1989 and starring Patrick Swayze, was written by Hill. Hill also has screenwriting credits for “The Evil That Men Do,” starring Charles Bronson. The 2024 remake of “Road House” is set to be released on March 8 on Amazon’s Prime Video platform and is accused of exploiting Hill’s original screenplay.

Hill’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, is known for taking on high-profile intellectual property cases against Marvel Studios and Disney. He has represented the likes of Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko, Iron Man co-creator Larry Lieber, and the family of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel.