Two historians who claim he stole his research from their 1982 book Holy Blood, Holy Grail, are suing The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown.
The lawsuit by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, claims copyright infringement and demands $150 million in damages, plus an injunction to stop further distribution of the book and the release of the film version. The movie, which stars Tom Hanks, is scheduled for a May 19 release.
Brown counterclaims that he acknowledges their research in his book. And his publishers Random House claim the lawsuit inhibits authors’ ability to write fiction.
The case is continuing at the High Court in London, though it’s unlikely the injunction will be granted even if Baigent and Leigh win.