Joss Whedon, Lionsgate face lawsuit over 'Cabin in the Woods'

Peter Gallagher has filed suit against Joss Whedon and Lionsgate, claiming the Avengers: Age of Ultron writer took the idea for 2012’s The Cabin in the Woods from his novel.

Gallagher (not the Peter Gallagher who played Seth Cohen’s dad on The O.C.) filed suit in California federal court Monday, saying he believes Whedon, who produced and co-wrote the Cabin in the Woods script, took inspiration from his 2006 book The Little White Trip: A Night in the Pines. The film’s director Drew Goddard and Whedon’s production company Mutant Enemy are also named in the suit.

In the court papers, Gallagher explains what he believes are “striking” similarities between the book and the film, including the names of the lead characters and the cabin, the plot, mood, pace and sequence of events. The suit also points out specific scenes that closely resemble one another.

Gallagher claims he has “lost, and will continue to lose, substantial revenues from the production and sale of the Film,” and is seeking $10 million in damages.