As movie enthusiasts, we know Hollywood is no stranger to drama. Not just on screen, but off it too, and this time, our protagonist is Michael Shanks, a rising Australian writer-director. The 34-year old director is back from Sundance Film Festival, basking in the glory of his debut feature, "Together," having sold it to Neon for a staggering $17 million. But every silver cloud has a dark lining, and his is a lawsuit dappled with accusations of story theft.

Last month proved bitter-sweet for Shanks as he and his film’s ensemble cast, notably Hollywood sweethearts Alison Brie and Dave Franco, found themselves in the crosshairs of a lawsuit. The protagonists turned defendants are being accused of pinching the plotline of "Together" from a plucky little-known indie comedy, "Better Half."

This week, a clearly upset Shanks denied the allegations, stating that his film is based on his own powerful narrative of love and loss. “Having the origin of my story questioned is not just deeply distressing; it's absolutely untrue,” he passionately exclaimed, clearly troubled by the accusation.

Coming to a theater near you on July 30, "Together" spins a tale about a couple mysteriously affixed to each other in a narrative eerily reminiscent of "Better Half." Here's where it gets intriguing folks: Brie and Franco were allegedly proposed the "Better Half" project in 2020, but their agent at WME passed on the opportunity. The plot thickens, doesn’t it?

In a bizarre twist of fate or a mere cinematic coincidence, the producers of "Better Half," which hit the screens in 2023, sat through the Sundance screening of "Together." Unsurprisingly, their lawsuit declares that they were flabbergasted and are struggling to put a lid on their 'bewilderment' over the alleged similarities.

In their defense, Neon and WME's statement this Wednesday branded the lawsuit as a crass attempt at garnishing some “fifteen minutes of fame for a project that went down the drain.” Defending Shanks, their attorney Nicolas Jampol pointed out that these two ventures don’t look even remotely similar. He noted that Shanks meticulously penned down "Together" well before the "Better Half" pitch and registered it with the writers’ guild in 2019.

In his defense, Shanks expanded by saying, “I'd like to make it clear that the idea for this story was conceived in 2019, registered it with the Writers’ Guild Of America that same year. In 2020, I secured funding from Screen Australia. A couple of years later, I found myself presenting it to Dave Franco, who, along with Alison Brie, came onboard to both act and produce my dream project.”

For Shanks, seeing his concept come to fruition was a celestial union of good fortune and tireless work. The looming cloud of copyright infringement rumbling just before the film’s release threatens to overshadow his moment of triumph. “These accusations threaten not only to belittle my work but also to diminish the emotional and professional journey I’ve undertaken to bring it to life,” he earnestly stated.

Mr. Jampol is eagerly waiting for the plaintiffs to drop this escalating drama, yet he is yet to take his stance in court. Unless a settlement is reached, this controversy will continue to unfold, most likely for a year or two, or maybe even longer, stealing the spotlight from the film’s release.

However, it seems plaintiffs' lawyer Daniel Miller isn’t bowing out without a fight. Talking to Variety, he declared that the resonating similarities between the two creative pieces are “breathtaking!” He seems certain that the facts stubbornly stand with him. “The defendants can try their best to explain the unexplainable, but the evidence will speak volumes.”

The climax of this off-screen drama is eagerly awaited, but until then, the plot continues to thicken. Stay tuned!