Stephen King Won Name Removal

The 1992 science-fiction horror film The Lawnmower Man was marketed as an adaptation of American writer Stephen King's 1975 short story, even though the two plots shared almost nothing. The filmmakers converted an unrelated screenplay called CyberGod into the adaptation, retaining only a sequence involving a telekinetic lawnmower and a character named Harold Parkette. King sued, arguing that the film bore "no meaningful resemblance" to his work, and a federal judge ruled in his favor. An appeal ordered King's name removed from advertising, and he received $2.5 million before a court later held New Line in contempt for continuing to use his name on home-video packaging.

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