Litigation over 'Together' project prompts reaction from Dave Franco
Article: Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Dave Franco's Film "Together"
The film "Together," directed by Michael Shanks, is currently playing in theatres, but it's facing a legal challenge. StudioFest LLC, the creators of the 2023 indie film Better Half, have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the film.
The lawsuit alleges that "Together" copied virtually every unique aspect of Better Half's copyrightable expression, including the core concept of a physically conjoined couple as a metaphor for co-dependency, specific plot elements, characters, thematic content, setting, mood, and dialogue.
The lawsuit, filed in May 2025 in California federal court, seeks an injunction, disgorgement of profits, and unspecified damages. It lists over a dozen detailed points of "virtual replicas" between the films, including a monologue referencing Plato's Symposium and specific scenes such as a bathroom-stall gag.
Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Shanks, their agency WME, and the film's distributor deny the claims. They argue that "Together"'s script was registered with the Writers Guild of America as early as 2019, predating the Better Half pitch. Shanks and the defendants assert they have "an extensive paper trail" proving the lawsuit's claims are baseless, and they intend to vigorously fight the case while celebrating their film's success.
"Together" has received critical acclaim, including a 90% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and has grossed $21 million domestically so far, covering its $17 million acquisition cost by Neon.
In a statement, Shanks expressed his feelings about the allegations, stating that they are "devastating" and "deeply upsetting." Dave Franco, in an interview with LaDbible, stated that they fully stand behind their writer-director. Alison Brie also expressed a desire to celebrate the film and the work they put into it.
As of August 2025, the legal case is ongoing with no public resolution or court decision yet. The lawsuit highlights broader industry issues around creative idea sharing, pitches, and accusations of intellectual property theft within Hollywood.
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