Some bombshell allegations have emerged just before the Oscars. It seems that the Best Picture nominee, “The Holdovers,” is now being accused of overwhelming plagiarism. According to a report, screenwriter Simon Stephenson, known for his work on popular films like “Luca” and “Paddington 2,” has made shocking claims about “The Holdovers.” He alleges that the film is “plagiarized line-by-line” from a screenplay that he wrote about ten years ago, which unfortunately never made it to the big screen.
Stephenson’s accusations came to light through emails he sent to the Writer’s Guild of America, which were later obtained by Variety. In these emails, he suggests that “The Holdovers” director, Alexander Payne, may have come across his eerily similar script titled “Frisco” back in 2013, when it was circulating in Hollywood on the industry’s renowned “black list” of highly anticipated scripts.
“The evidence that the ‘Holdovers’ screenplay has been plagiarized line-by-line from ‘Frisco’ is genuinely overwhelming,” Stephenson wrote in the emails. He claims that anyone who takes even a cursory glance at both scripts would undoubtedly use the word “brazen” to describe the similarities.
So, what exactly is “Frisco” about? It’s a drama that revolves around a grumpy children’s hospital worker who finds himself responsible for a 15-year-old student. This bears a striking resemblance to “The Holdovers,” where Paul Giamatti’s character, a prep-school classics teacher, spends his Christmas vacation with a troubled teen, played by Dominic Sessa, and the school’s cafeteria manager, played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Stephenson went to great lengths to meticulously compare the two films, analyzing scenes, important sequences, and dialogues. His findings suggest that Payne had access to the “Frisco” script in 2013 and may have had it in his possession once again during the production of “The Holdovers.”
These allegations have undoubtedly sparked controversy just before the highly anticipated Oscars ceremony. As fans and industry insiders eagerly await the outcome of this scandal, it remains to be seen how it will impact the prestigious event and the future of “The Holdovers.” Stay tuned for the latest developments in this unfolding story, on Fan Reviews News.
