HOLLYWOOD - Movie executive Bob Yari was told Monday he must change his Crash lawsuit or his case will be dismissed.
Yari sued the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in March after he was removed from the Oscar-winning movie's credits, because the Academy only allows two producers from each film to be nominated for the top prize.
Crash was a surprise Best Picture winner, and writer/director Paul Harris picked up the award for his producing contribution along with Cathy Schulman at the March ceremony.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Edward Ferns ruled in favor of PGA and AMPAS, who both argued Yari has no legal basis for his lawsuit on Thursday, giving the plaintive 10 days to revise legal papers.
Defense lawyer George Hedges says, "It's a terrific result and a great vindication for both the Academy and the Producers Guild, demonstrating that, as we said, Yari's lawsuit was legally baseless."
Yari's lawyer Patricia Glaser insists her client will return with a revised case.
Meanwhile, Schulman and Crash executive producer Tom Nunan are suing Yari, claiming he failed to pay them more than $2 million, that they are owed in fees and bonuses.
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