Movie buffs get right to sue over misleading trailer

A judge hearing a defrauding lawsuit filed by moviegoers in the US has ruled that the studio will face trial for running false and misleading trailers.

According to the AFP news agency, Peter Michael Rosa, 45, of San Diego, and Connor Wolfe, 39, of Maryland, filed a lawsuit claiming that Universal Pictures refused to show them the 2019 film ‘Yesterday’. Cheated because the trailer featured actress Ana de Armas.

According to the petitioners, everyone had to pay more than $3.99 to watch the Richard Curtis comedy on the streaming website ‘Amazon Prime’, but only Ana de Armas was kicked out of the movie.

The unique lawsuit, filed this year, alleges that fans were led to expect that Cuban actress Ana de Armas would be prominently featured in the film, but she was cast as the star actress. Not even seen.

According to the lawsuit: ‘Consumers were not provided with the required content upon ticket purchase.’

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Universal Studios, on the other hand, asked US District Judge Stephen Wilson to dismiss the complaint, arguing that the film’s trailers are protected under the US Constitution’s First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech.

But in his ruling on Thursday, Judge Wilson rejected the studio’s argument that the trailer was commercial material and was covered by fair publicity laws.

The judge wrote in his judgment: ‘Essentially a trailer is an advertisement designed to sell a film by providing consumers with a preview of the film.’

AFP news agency has tried to speak to a spokesperson for Universal Studios, but there was no response.

The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million from disgruntled moviegoers.

Lawyers for both sides will appear again for the case on April 3, 2023.

Danny Boyle’s film ‘Yesterday’ tells the story of a musician starring Hamish Patel.

Anna D’Armes, 34, was initially cast in the film and appeared in the film’s trailer and some commercials, but her role was cut from the final version, according to the lawsuit.