Apple and M. Night Shyamalan Sued Over 'Servant' TV Show's Similarity to 2013 Movie 'The Truth About Emanuel'

Apple and M. Night Shyamalan, producer of Apple TV+ show "Servant," are being targeted in a new lawsuit that accuses "Servant" of copying 2013 film "The Truth About Emanuel," according to The Blast.

"The Truth About Emanuel" director Francesca Gregorini claims that "Servant" appropriates the plot of her movie and uses the same "cinematic language," resulting in a "substantially similar feeling, mood, and theme."


Along with parallel plot points, Gregorini says that Servant also features "strikingly similar--and highly idiosyncratic--characters, scenes, directorial choices, and modes of storytelling."

Released in 2013 with Kaya Scoddelario and Jessica Biel, "The Truth About Emanuel" involves a 17-year-old babysitter who looks after a baby that turns out to be a doll replacing a baby that has died, which is indeed similar to the plot of "Servant."


The lawsuit targets ‌Apple TV‌+, show creator Tony Basgallop, producer M. Night Shyamalan, and other producers on the series. Shyamalan and the other show creators say that "Servant" was in development prior to the release of "The Truth About Emanuel."

"Defendants have arrogantly dismissed Ms. Gregorini's protests by vaguely claiming that Servant was in development long before Emanuel was made, and that any similarity is a coincidence. Indeed, Mr. Shyamalan and Mr. Basgallop implausibly claim they have never seen Emanuel--apparently not even curious enough to watch after hearing Ms. Gregorini's objections. Worse, Apple has brought stonewalling to a new level by simply referring inquiries to Mr. Shyamalan's lawyer (who in turns says he cannot speak for Apple)."

Gregorini is seeking unspecified damages, profits Apple made from the show, and an injunction to prevent "Servant" from being further distributed.

"Servant," which debuted on November 28, is wrapping up its first season with the final episode set to be released on Friday, January 17. Apple has already renewed the series for a second season. Given that the show is still in development and the last episode hasn't debuted, it's not yet known how similar it will end up being to the movie in question.

Based on the description of the film, there already seem to be significantly divergent plot elements, so it's not clear how the lawsuit will progress.

Popular Stories

Mayday Calendar

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Friday May 9, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing, spotted by French blog MacGeneration. The acquisition had not received widespread attention from tech publications until now. Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act. Mayday Labs founder Jeremy...
Nineth iOS 19 Feature

iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

Thursday May 8, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it. Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors...
fortnite apple featured

Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

Friday May 9, 2025 9:57 am PDT by
As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020. Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
top stories 2025 05 10

Top Stories: iOS 18.5 Release Imminent, iPhone Rumors for 2025 and Beyond, and More

Saturday May 10, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates. This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Apple's Foldable iPhone Display Tech May Set New Industry Standard

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:29 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will feature a new type of display panel developed by Samsung that has never been used in a foldable product, claims a source with links to Apple's supply chain. According to the account yeux1122 on the Korean Naver blog, the foldable iPhone will use a custom display process for which Apple will hold branding trademark rights, and that meets Apple's stringent ...

Top Rated Comments

2010mini Avatar
70 months ago

Whatever happened to originality? It seems to be a lost art.
When was the art lost? Every single form of art is inspired by something before it.

some of the movies you enjoyed from decades ago were themselves remakes or inspired by movies that came even earlier.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Greenmeenie Avatar
70 months ago
Best M.Night Shyamalan twist ever!
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
moabal Avatar
70 months ago
Not surprised. He should also be sued for butchering the live action movie of Avatar the Last Airbender.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Cappy Avatar
70 months ago
“Apple has brought stonewalling to a new level by simply referring inquiries to Mr. Shyamalan's lawyer.”

In Apple’s defense, that would certainly be MY answer if I were them. If there’s copying going on, it’s Mr Shyamalan’s doing.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NewBench Avatar
70 months ago

He should be sued just for producing such a waste of time. Stopped watching after Ep. 3 and it was a chore just to get to that episode.
Couldn't disagree more. One of the best shows of the year IMO and Shyamalan's best project since The Sixth Sense. Critics seem to think it's pretty good too...85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
70 months ago
I see litigious people...
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)