10 Movies That Were Literally Sued For Being Rip-Offs

Cheating on a math test in third grade doesn't have much impact on your life overall.

But getting caught ripping off the premise of a movie will be a very public shaming... the likes of which you've never freakin' seen.

It's not just happened once or twice — this is a pretty common thing! So here are 11 movies that got caught ripping off other movies.

COMMENTand tell us which movies you think are rip-offs!

1. Ted, which was written by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, was sued by the creator of a web series whose main character is a swearing teddy bear. Come to think of it.. Family Guy is basically THE SIMPSONS!

Bengal Mangle Productions sued saying Ted was a ripoff of their Charlie The Abusive Teddy character. Seth beat the lawsuit in court proving he made it up independently.

2. Avatarwas sued three times in 10 days but NOT for basically being Pocahontasin space.

In ten days, director James Cameron's production company was sued with lawsuits claiming that he had stolen from books, screenplays and even forest paintings. Novelist Bryant Moore said his books Aquaticaand Descendants: The Pollinationbooks were all about warring factions fighting for resources in space. But Cameron had drawings and notes well before those novels.

3. Indiana Jones and Raiders of The Lost Ark was sued by REAL archaeologists on the hunt for the Arc of The Covenant...  

Both Robert Kuhn and Stanley Rader sued Paramount Pictures, the director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas for NOT mentioning the real archaeologists. Come on...

4. Finding Nemo was a ripoff of a children's book called Pierrot le Poisson Clown AKA Pierrot the Clownfish – or so said the author!

In Franck Le Calvez’ children’s book, one of the clownfish's parents are killed and Nemo looks SO MUCH like Pierrot. In 2003, the author said Pixar had ripped off his idea from the French animation studios he pitched it to. He also said his book sales tanked because everyone thought HE ripped off Finding Nemo...

But we're just getting started – how about this role that launched Johnny Depp into wearing mascara in hospitals!

5. Turns out that Pirates of The Caribbean wasn't based on the popular ride at Disneyland but a novel by Royce Matthew — or so the lawsuit said.

In 2005, Royce claimed that the idea that “pirates transforming into skeletons in the moonlight” was his first. But then Disney had sketches that showed them came up with it separately. The case was thrown out BUT in 2013, he tried again saying those sketches were fake.

Yeah, it's a pretty boss idea. I'd be mad if someone stole it from me!

6. The Purge was a ripoff of a script called Settler's Day which also has a story where a family tries to survive a night where, once a year, all crime is legal.

In 2013, Douglas Jordan-Benel sued Blumhouse for stealing his idea. He was looking for a $5 million and when Universal Pictures tried to dismiss it in court, the court said "Nah." So it turns out that Benel may be onto something.

7. Django Unchained was suited by the writers of an unproduced script about a freed slave who's seeking vengeance and freedom for his family.

Oscar and Torrance Colvin sued Quentin Tarantino because this was no homage, which Tarantino is famous for. The case is still ongoing.

8. James Cameron makes this list again for Titanic— a woman sued because parts of the story were ripped off her father's biography.

She says the steamy sex in the cargo hold and the scene where Jack paints Rose naked are exactly what happened to her dad. She sued 20th Century Fox 15 years after the movie came out... She said “I haven’t been to a theater since 1994."

9. Frozenwas actually ripped off a (get this) autobiography of her life because there were singing trolls and an annoying snowman...

Isabella Tanikumi sued for $250 million in damages because Disney film was ripped off her 2010 autobiography. She listed 18 similarities including a “sisters with a deep connection," “betrayal" and scenes with a moon. A Disney spokeswoman said “this is beyond ridiculous, she needs to let it go.”

10. And finally, The Dark Knight was sued by the mayor of Batman, Turkey...

Huseyin Kalkan sued Christopher Nolan’s film because it used the name Batman without clearing it with the town. He said he was outraged and said the movie led to a rise in crime and unsolved murders. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

COMMENT and tell us if you think these movies really are ripoffs or not!