‘ER’ creator’s estate can sue over ‘The Pitt’ similarities, appeals court rules

Key Points:

• A California appeals court ruled that HBO’s “The Pitt” is sufficiently similar to “ER” to allow Michael Crichton’s estate to continue its lawsuit against Warner Bros. and the show’s creators for allegedly producing an unauthorized reboot.
• Sherri Crichton, controlling her late husband Michael Crichton’s estate, filed the lawsuit in August 2024, citing a 1994 agreement that Warner Bros. would not create derivative works of “ER” without permission from Crichton or his estate.
• The lawsuit alleges Warner Bros. began developing “The Pitt” as an “ER” reboot without the estate’s knowledge in 2020, and halted negotiations in 2022, while production continued.
• “The Pitt” and “ER” share many similarities, including their focus on the lives of doctors in an emergency room and involvement of original “ER” cast and producers, though “The Pitt” is set in Pittsburgh rather than Chicago.
• Despite the lawsuit, “The Pitt” has earned 11 Emmy Awards since its 2025 debut, with star Noah Wyle emphasizing the show’s narrative freedom after moving away from a direct “ER” reboot concept.