Updated: 04:18 PM EST
French Author Seeks Damages From Walt Disney Over 'Nemo'
PARIS (AP)--A French children's book author, who claims the Walt Disney Co. ( DIS) blockbuster animated film "Finding Nemo" copied a fish of his creation, launched a new court battle Wednesday seeking damages from the corporate giant.
Franck Le Calvez lost an initial bid last year to ban the sale of Nemo products in France, arguing that the lovable title character in "Finding Nemo" was based on his smiling orange-and-white clown fish named Pierrot.
In March, a court ruled that though the two fish resemble each other - both have big smiles and sport three stripes down the side - their similarities weren't enough to confuse people.
Maintaining the argument that The Walt Disney Co. copied his character, Le Calvez is now seeking damages of $1.32 million in a separate court case that opened Monday.
The author argues that he registered his story, "Pierrot the Clown Fish," with French trademark officials in 1995. After pitching his idea to film animation studios with no success, Le Calvez turned Pierrot into an idea for a book that he published in 2002.
The book, which sold a mere 3,000 copies in France, is about a young fish separated from his family - a plot similar to "Finding Nemo."
Disney lawyer Magali Thorne had argued that her client's clown fish was already drawn up by 2000, before Le Calvez published his book.
On Wednesday, she reiterated that Disney "had no knowledge" of the French book.
Dow Jones Newswires 02-23-051541ET
French Author Seeks Damages From Walt Disney Over 'Nemo'
PARIS (AP)--A French children's book author, who claims the Walt Disney Co. ( DIS) blockbuster animated film "Finding Nemo" copied a fish of his creation, launched a new court battle Wednesday seeking damages from the corporate giant.
Franck Le Calvez lost an initial bid last year to ban the sale of Nemo products in France, arguing that the lovable title character in "Finding Nemo" was based on his smiling orange-and-white clown fish named Pierrot.
In March, a court ruled that though the two fish resemble each other - both have big smiles and sport three stripes down the side - their similarities weren't enough to confuse people.
Maintaining the argument that The Walt Disney Co. copied his character, Le Calvez is now seeking damages of $1.32 million in a separate court case that opened Monday.
The author argues that he registered his story, "Pierrot the Clown Fish," with French trademark officials in 1995. After pitching his idea to film animation studios with no success, Le Calvez turned Pierrot into an idea for a book that he published in 2002.
The book, which sold a mere 3,000 copies in France, is about a young fish separated from his family - a plot similar to "Finding Nemo."
Disney lawyer Magali Thorne had argued that her client's clown fish was already drawn up by 2000, before Le Calvez published his book.
On Wednesday, she reiterated that Disney "had no knowledge" of the French book.
Dow Jones Newswires 02-23-051541ET
