Lawsuit Filed Against Apple and The Tetris Company Over Alleged Unauthorized Book Adaptation

A lawsuit has been initiated by Dan Ackerman, author of The Tetris Effect, against Apple and The Tetris Company, alleging that they adapted his book without obtaining the necessary permissions. The complaint, filed in a Manhattan federal court, asserts that the Apple Original film Tetris bears a striking resemblance to Ackerman's 2016 book, including the adaptation of specific chapters and scenes. Ackerman is accusing the defendants of engaging in unfair competition, copyright infringement, and interference with business relationships. He is seeking damages equivalent to 3% of the film's $80 million production budget, as well as punitive damages of the same amount. According to Ackerman, he had sent a pre-publication copy of his book to The Tetris Company in 2016, but they declined to license their intellectual property for the book and instead issued a cease and desist letter to deter him from pursuing film and television opportunities. The complaint alleges that The Tetris Company's CEO, Maya Rogers, and screenwriter Noah Pink began adapting Ackerman's book without his consent in 2017.