‘In Time’: 20th Century Fox sued by Greek screenwriter

A screenwriter has filed a lawsuit in which he alleges that 20th Century Fox stole his idea for the 2011 film In Time.

The science fiction thriller, which stars Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake, shows a future in which people stop ageing once they reach 25. Time then becomes currency, which they must purchase in order to survive.

The lawsuit, which was obtained by TMZ, claims that Odysseus Lappas wrote a screenplay in 1996 entitled Time Card.

Lappas claims that he had registered his script, which tells the story of a world in which humans must buy more time or they will die aged 25, with the Writers Guild of America.

He states in his filing that he gave the script to 20th Century Fox, who offered him $80,000 (£50,000) for the rights. However, Lappas turned the offer down after the studio refused to let him direct or produce the film.

The studio then went ahead and made In Time, which was “uncannily similar to Time Card“, the Greek screenwriter’s suit alleges.

Lappas is seeking damages worth $4.5m (£2.8m) from the studio.

With a budget totalling $40m (£25m), In Time has grossed $173m (£107m) worldwide to date.

Watch Justin Timberlake talking to Digital Spy about In Time below: