Satanists File $50M Lawsuit Against CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA Over Baphomet Statue
Last week, we reported on threats of litigation made by The Satanic Temple against Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina over the appropriation of a copyrighted Baphomet statue. In the show, the statue of the infamous goat/human hybrid sits in the lobby of The School for Unseen Arts. To recap:
The Satanic Temple claims the show’s statue design is an appropriation of proprietary material, as they recently unveiled their own 9-foot statue of Baphomet. But the Temple’s gripe goes beyond copyright infringement; Satanic Temple Co-Founder Lucien Greaves feels the use of the Baphomet statue in Sabrina maligns the true nature of Satanism, calling the show “asinine Satanic Panic fiction.”
Now, Deadline is reporting the Satanists have made good on their threat to sue, and they’re seeking a whopping $50M!
According to Deadline:
“This case presents, among other things, a textbook example of the hornbook explanation of copyright protection that copyright law protects unique expressions, but not the ideas themselves,” lawyer Bruce Lederman wrote on behalf of the temple in a complaint filed in federal court this morning (read it here). “What makes this case particularly striking and significant is that it arises in the context of Defendants who are highly sophisticated media production and distribution companies which blatantly misappropriated Plaintiff’s unique expression of an idea even though they have a long history of vigorously protecting their own intellectual property,” the much threatening jury-seeking paperwork adds.
As opposed to the witches and warlocks in Sabrina, Satanists don’t actually worship the Devil. According to the FAQ section on the Temple’s website they believe in “Seven Tenets”:
- “One should strive to act with compassion and empathy towards all creatures in accordance with reason.”
- “The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.”
- “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.”
- “The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.”
- “Beliefs should conform to our best scientific understanding of the world. We should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit our beliefs.”
- “People are fallible. If we make a mistake, we should do our best to rectify it and remediate any harm that may have been caused.”
- “Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.”
When asked for a comment, Netflix directed reporters to Warner Bros. who also declined to weigh in. We’ll keep our eyes on this litigious situation as it unfolds. In the meantime, peep the synopsis and trailer for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina below.
Synopsis:
This adaptation of the “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” tale is a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror and the occult. In the reimagined origin story, Sabrina Spellman wrestles to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family — including aunts Hilda and Zelda — and the daylight world humans inhabit. Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”) leads the cast in the titular role of the show that is based on a comic series of the same name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybKUX6thF8Q
Have you been watching Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix? What do you think of The Satanic Temple’s complaints regarding the Baphomet statue at The School for Unseen Arts? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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