Conan Doyle Estate Settles MR. HOLMES Lawsuit

The Sir ARTHUR CONAN Doyle estate has settled a copyright infringement lawsuit over the recent SHERLOCK Holmes film, MR. HOLMES. The estate of the Holmes creator claimed the Ian McKellen film from Miramax used stories still under copyright.

"Conan Doyle Estate Ltd., Miramax, LLC, Roadside Attractions, LLC, and Bill Condon announce that the lawsuit filed by CONAN Doyle Estate Ltd. against Miramax, Roadside Attractions, and Condon in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico has been settled to the satisfaction of these parties," reads Miramax's official statement regarding the company's use of the Holmes novel, A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND as source material for the film. "Miramax, Roadside Attractions, and Condon thank CONAN Doyle Estate Ltd. for the use of certain material authored by Sir ARTHUR CONAN Doyle in the film 'MR. HOLMES.'"

The lawsuit began in May, two months in advance of the film's release on July 17, 2015. Aside from just Miramax, the lawsuit also involved A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND author Mitch Cullin and publisher, Penguin Random House.

The film, based on the novel A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND by Cullin and adapted for the screen by Jeffrey Hatcher (The Duchess, Casanova, Stage Beauty), has grossed more than $17.5 million at the box office since its summer release.

Producers are Anne Carey (The American, Adventureland) of Archer Gray Productions and Academy Award winners Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films (The King's Speech, Shame). Executive producers are Aviv Giladi and Len Blavatnik of AI Film (Lee Daniels' The Butler, Kill Your Friends), Christine Langan (Saving Mr. Banks, Philomena) on behalf of BBC Films, which is also co-financing the film, and Amy Nauiokas (Ten Thousand Saints, The Diary of a TEENAGE Girl) for Archer Gray Productions, as well as Vince Holden and Zanne Devine.

This story begins in 1947 when an aging SHERLOCK Holmes (Ian McKellen) returns from Japan, where, in search of a plant with powerful restorative qualities, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now in his remote seaside farmhouse Holmes faces the end of his days tending to his bees with only the company of his housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her young son, Roger. Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits an unsolved case which forced him into retirement, and searches for answers to the mysteries of life and love -- before it's too late.

Additional cast includes Hattie Morahan (The Golden Compass, The Bank Job), Patrick Kennedy (War Horse, Atonement), Hiroyuki Sanada (The Wolverine, 47 Ronin), Roger Allam (Tamara Drewe, The Book Thief), Philip Davis (Vera Drake, Notes on a Scandal), Frances de la Tour (The History Boys, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Milo Parker (Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails), who plays Roger, the housekeeper's son.

Source: Variety

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