“The Pitt is ER. It’s not like ER, it’s not kind of ER, it’s not sort of ER.
It is ER, complete with the same executive producer, writer, star, production companies, studio and network as the planned ER reboot”
– Deadline
1994
2024
Protect Michael Crichton’s Legacy
Warner Bros. is remaking ER without honoring its contracts or appropriately crediting Michael Crichton for his creation of ER. Crichton’s legacy and the future of creative work must be protected.
Sherri Crichton’s Bombshell First Interview On ‘ER’ Lawsuit: Michael Crichton’s Widow Claims ‘The Pitt’ Hatched Just 72 Hours After Sequel Talks Cratered
Read More
Statement from a Spokesperson for Sherri Crichton, wife of the late Michael Crichton and guardian of the estate that controls Michael Crichton’s ER assets
“In a shameful betrayal of the late Michael Crichton, Warner Bros. has brazenly stolen Crichton’s creation and trampled upon the contractual protections Crichton secured to protect his heirs and his legacy when he agreed to sell the studio ER. Sixteen years after his death, Warner Bros. is effectively rebooting ER, and seeking to boost the more than $3 billion profit it has already earned from his creation, without crediting Crichton and without obtaining consent as they are obligated to do under Crichton’s contract. Changing the show’s name does not change the fact that The Pitt – which has exactly the same premise, structure, themes, pace, producers, and star – is ER through and through.
“Sherri Crichton, Michael’s widow and the guardian of the estate that controls these assets for the benefit of Michael’s children, tried in good faith to negotiate terms that would enable the show to move forward while protecting Michael’s legacy and contractual rights. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. responded with bullying tactics and complete disregard for its legal obligations, Crichton, and his fans.
“If Warner Bros. can do this to Michael Crichton, one of the industry’s most successful and prolific creators who made the studio billions over
the course of their partnership, no creator is safe. While litigation is never the preferred course of action, contracts must be enforced, and
Michael Crichton’s legacy must be protected.”
“In a shameful betrayal of the late Michael Crichton, Warner Bros. has brazenly stolen Crichton’s creation and trampled upon the contractual protections Crichton secured to protect his heirs and his legacy when he agreed to sell the studio ER. Sixteen years after his death, Warner Bros. is effectively rebooting ER, and seeking to boost the more than $3 billion profit it has already earned from his creation, without crediting Crichton and without obtaining consent as they are obligated to do under Crichton’s contract. Changing the show’s name does not change the fact that The Pitt – which has exactly the same premise, structure, themes, pace, producers, and star – is ER through and through.
“The guardian of the estate that controls these assets for the benefit of Michael’s children, tried in good faith to negotiate terms that would enable the show to move forward while protecting Michael’s legacy and contractual rights. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. responded with bullying tactics and complete disregard for its legal obligations, Crichton, and his fans.
“If Warner Bros. can do this to Michael Crichton, one of the industry’s most successful and prolific creators who made the studio billions over the course of their partnership, no creator is safe. While litigation is never the preferred course of action, contracts must be enforced, and Michael Crichton’s legacy must be protected.”
Warner Bros. is remaking ER without honoring its contracts or appropriately crediting Michael Crichton for his creation of ER. Crichton’s legacy and the future of creative work must be protected.
Timeline
2021
Wells and Wyle expand ER reboot project, teaming up with R. Scott Gemmill and other original ER members
February 2020
Wells and Wyle begin collaborating on
an ER reboot without approval from or
notifying the Crichton Estate
July 2022
Wells, Wyle and Gemmill pitch the
ER reboot to networks, receiving interest from NBC and HBO
November 2022
Wells gives the Crichton Estate a "courtesy call" about an upcoming announcement of the ER reboot
December 2022
Warner Bros. acknowledges Crichton's contractual rights to ER, negotiations with Crichton Estate begin
October 2023
Warner Bros. refuses to honor its contracts and appropriately credit Crichton; Wells tells Crichton Estate the ER reboot is dead
March 2024
Warner Bros. announces 'The Pitt', a medical drama with the same premise, structure, themes, pace, producer & star as ER
March- August 2024
Crichton Estate is forced to sue Warner Bros., Wyle, Wells and others for breach of contract; media and others label 'The Pitt' as "ER 2.0"
Timeline
December 2022
Warner Bros. acknowledges Crichton’s contractual rights to ER, negotiations with Crichton Estate begin
July 2022
Wells, Wyle and Gemmill pitch the
ER reboot to networks, receiving interest from NBC and HBO
October 2023
Warner Bros. refuses to honor its
contracts and appropriately credit
Crichton; Wells tells Crichton Estate the
ER reboot is dead
February 2020
Wells and Wyle begin collaborating on an
ER reboot without approval from or notifying the Crichton Estate
2021
Wells and Wyle expand ER reboot
project, teaming up with R. Scott
Gemmill and other original ER members
November 2022
Wells gives the Crichton Estate a
“courtesy call” about an upcoming
announcement of the ER reboot
March - August 2024
Crichton Estate is forced to sue Warner Bros., Wyle, Wells and others for breach of contract; media and others label ‘The Pitt’ as “ER 2.0”
March 2024
Warner Bros. announces ‘The Pitt’, a
medical drama with the same premise, structure, themes, pace, producer & star as ER
Press
Press
11/12/2024
Sherri Crichton’s Bombshell First Interview On ‘ER’ Lawsuit: Michael Crichton’s Widow Claims ‘The Pitt’ Hatched Just 72 Hours After Sequel Talks Cratered
Warner Bros TV this week filed to dismiss a lawsuit by Michael Crichton’s estate that alleged the studio cut the late ER creator out of a new series by changing the venue to an inner-city hospital in Pittsburgh called The Pitt.
8/28/2024
Michael Crichton's Estate Calls New Show an Unauthorized 'ER'
The best-selling author's estate has filed suit over "The Pitt," an upcoming series, claiming that it is an unauthorized reboot of the hit hospital drama.
8/27/2024
Warner Bros. TV Calls Michael Crichton Estate Lawsuit “Baseless”, Denies Link Between ‘ER’ & ‘The Pitt’
Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind hit NBC medical drama ER and the upcoming Max medical drama The Pitt, has hit back at a lawsuit filed this morning by Sherri Crichton, the widow of ER creator Michael Crichton, on behalf of John Michael Crichton Trust’s Roadrunner JMTC....
3/26/2024
‘ER’ 2.0: Noah Wyle, John Wells Reteam for Max Medical Drama
R. Scott Gemmill will serve as showrunner on the 15-episode series that focuses on front-line heroes in a modern-day Pittsburgh hospital...
9/19/2024
‘ER’ At 30: Glimpse How Michael Crichton & John Wells Shaped Groundbreaking Medical Procedural
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the premiere of ER, one of the most seminal and groundbreaking series in TV history. The drama ran on NBC for 15 seasons and 331 episodes from 1994-2009, and the show was nominated for 124 Emmys, winning 23 of them including for Outstanding Drama Series in 1996....
8/28/2024
What To Know About The 'ER' Reboot That Launched A Lawsuit From Creator Michael Crichton's Estate
The estate of blockbuster author and “ER” creator Michael Crichton is suing Warner Bros. Television, actor Noah Wyle and several key crew members involved in an upcoming Max show called “The Pitt,” claiming the series is a rip-off of “ER” that the studio went ahead with after the estate backed out of talks to reboot the medical drama—claims Warner has pushed back on.
THE TRUTH
ABOUT THE PITT
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Straight From The Source
November 2022
Wells gives the Crichton Estate a
“courtesy call” about an upcoming
announcement of the ER reboot
February 2020
Wells and Wyle begin collaborating on an ER reboot without approval from or notifying the Crichton Estate
Timeline
2021
Wells and Wyle expand ER reboot
project, teaming up with R. Scott
Gemmill and other original ER members
July 2022
Wells, Wyle and Gemmill pitch the ER
reboot to networks, receiving interest
from NBC and HBO
December 2022
Warner Bros. acknowledges Crichton’s contractual rights to ER, negotiations with Crichton Estate begin
October 2023
Warner Bros. refuses to honor its
contracts and appropriately credit
Crichton; Wells tells Crichton Estate the ER reboot is dead
March 2024
Warner Bros. announces ‘The Pitt’, a
medical drama with the same premise, structure, themes, pace, producer & star as ER
March - August 2024
Crichton Estate is forced to sue Warner Bros., Wyle, Wells and others for breach of contract; media and others label ‘The Pitt’ as “ER 2.0”
Timeline of an 'ER' Rip-Off
2021
Wells and Wyle expand ER reboot project, teaming up with R. Scott Gemmill and other original ER members
February 2020
Wells and Wyle begin collaborating on
an ER reboot without approval from or
notifying the Crichton Estate
July 2022
Wells, Wyle and Gemmill pitch the ER reboot to networks, receiving interest from NBC and HBO
November 2022
Wells gives the Crichton Estate a "courtesy call" about an upcoming announcement of the ER reboot
December 2022
Warner Bros. acknowledges Crichton's contractual rights to ER, negotiations with Crichton Estate begin
October 2023
Warner Bros. refuses to honor its contracts and appropriately credit Crichton; Wells tells Crichton Estate the ER reboot is dead
March 2024
Warner Bros. announces 'The Pitt', a medical drama with the same premise, structure, themes, pace, producer & star as ER
March- August 2024
Crichton Estate is forced to sue Warner Bros., Wyle, Wells and others for breach of contract; media and others label 'The Pitt' as "ER 2.0"