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Puzo estate sues studio over Godfather game

20.06.2008 15:00 Arts - Source: cbc.ca

The estate of Godfather author Mario Puzo has launched a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures, claiming the studio owes it royalties from a video game based on Puzo's now-iconic mafia characters.

In court filings this week, the author's son, Anthony Puzo, claims the studio and Electronic Arts created a video game that prominently draws on his father's book and characters, made famous by the subsequent highly acclaimed films.

He is seeking at least $1 million US in damages.

In 1992, Mario Puzo and Paramount reached a settlement after the author accused the studio of not meeting its royalties obligations. He died in 1999 and left his estate to his children.

According to the younger Puzo, the 1992 agreement promised the author a "significant share" of revenue from any product that incorporated elements of the saga.

A spokeswoman for the studio declined to comment on the lawsuit.

In 1969, when Mario Puzo published his novel The Godfather, he was a relatively unknown writer.

Paramount approached him to adapt his book to film and ultimately signed him to pen the screenplays of 1972's The Godfather, 1974's The Godfather: Part II and 1990's The Godfather: Part III.

With files from the Associated Press

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