Richard Williams is sued over movie rights to his life story raising daughters Venus and Serena as tennis stars ... where Will Smith is cast as him
Richard Williams has been sued over the movie rights to his life story raising champion tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.
The 78-year-old tennis coach was sued by TW3 Entertainment and Power Move Multi-Media with the plaintiffs alleging they bought the film rights before Will Smith, 51, produced a biopic starring himself as Williams, according to an article Tuesday by TMZ.
Williams was named as a defendant along with Warner Bros Entertainment and Smith's production company Overbrook Entertainment.
Movie rights: Richard Williams, shown in May 2014 in New York City, has been sued over the movie rights to his life story raising champion tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.
The lawsuit alleged that TW3 and Power Move were denied movie rights to the upcoming Warner Bros biopic titled King Richard.
TW3 and Power Move claim they purchased the rights in 2017 to the Williams memoir Black And White: The Way I See It that was published in 2014, according to court documents.
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The lawsuit alleged that Williams sold his rights to Warner Bros for the biopic for at least $1 million and it also alleged that Warner Bros knew it would make their contract with Williams worthless.
The production companies claimed in court documents that they own the rights to Williams' story and were seeking an injunction requiring Warner Bros to put all profits from the King Richard film into a trust for their benefit.
Film star: Will Smith, shown in January in Atlanta, will portray the tennis coach in the upcoming biopic King Richard
TW3 Entertainment and Power Move Multi-Media also were seeking other damages.
King Richard is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2021 by Warner Bros.
In addition to Smith as Williams, the biopic also will feature Jon Bernthal, Liev Schreiber and Dylan McDermott.
Tennis coach: Richard is shown congratulating daughter Serena after she won a match in March 1999 in Indian Wells, California
Great players: Venus and Serena, shown in September 1999 in Flushing Meadow, New York, are considered all-time greats in the game of tennis
Saniyya Sidney, 13, will play Venus and Demi Singleton, 12, will portray Serena.
Venus and Serena who were coached by their father at a young age are considered all-time great tennis players.
Serena has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era and second-most all-time behind Margaret Court, 77, who won 24 Grand Slam titles.
Top player: Serena, shown last July in London, has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era and second-most all-time behind Margaret Court, 77, who won 24 Grand Slam titles
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