Screenwriter Gary Goldman has filed a federal lawsuit against Disney for stealing his idea for its hit animated film, Zootopia

Image via Variety

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Goldman, whose writing credits include Total Recall and Big Trouble in Little China, claims that he had pitched his version of Zootopia - which was also called Zootopia - to Disney execs twice, and both times it was rejected. Per Variety , he claims that the 2016 movie that recently won Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards ripped off its name, character designs, themes and lines of dialogue from a project he first showed the company in 2000, and a second time in 2009.In the suit, Goldman claims to have pitched a film called 'Looney' to Disney that was to be the first in a 'Zootopia' film universe. He claims his idea featured a human animator who created an animal world that represented human class structures. Goldman claims his original animal creations were very similar to the leads in Disney's Zootopia film, including a squirrel named Mimi who is a go-getter but is discriminated against, and a hyena called Roscoe who is "a cynical outcast from society."In the lawsuit, Goldman says that the theme of overcoming stereotypes was also copied, and even lines of dialogue.“If you want to be an elephant, you can be an elephant,” reads a line in Goldman's version. “You wanna be an elephant when you grow up? You be an elephant. Because this is Zootopia. Anyone can be anything,” says Judy in Zootopia.Goldman says that Disney's plagiarism is systemic within the company and actively encouraged.“Although The Walt Disney Company rigorously enforces its copyrights, it has developed a culture that not only accepts the unauthorized copying of others’ original material, but encourages it,” Goldman alleges. “Instead of lawfully acquiring Goldman’s work, Defendants said they were not interested in producing it and sent him on his way. Thereafter, consistent with their culture of unauthorized copying, Defendants copied Goldman’s work.”Disney has responded, calling Goldman's claims "patently false".“Mr. Goldman’s lawsuit is riddled with patently false allegations,” a Disney spokesman said. “It is an unprincipled attempt to lay claim to a successful film he didn’t create, and we will vigorously defend against it in court.”

Lucy O'Brien is an editor at IGN’s Sydney office. Follow her ramblings on Twitter.