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FX and 'Anarchy' showrunner Kurt Sutter squash Zito lawsuit

By April MacIntyre Dec 15, 2011, 21:00 GMT

Chuck Zito - "The Runaways" New York City Premiere - Outside Arrivals - Landmark Sunshine Cinema - New York City, NY, USA © Janet Mayer / PR Photos

Chuck Zito messed with the wrong network and showrunner.

The former biker turned actor allegedly pitched a biker drama called "Nomads" to FX, and later sued the network claiming they ripped off his idea for "Sons of Anarchy."

The Hollywood Reporter got the scoop that Zito - who sued for $5 million in June 2010 claiming he had developed a show called Nomads - claimed that "Sons of Anarchy" was a stolen premise.

"FX was obligated to pay Zito the reasonable value of his ideas, hire him to work on the series and afford him screen credit as creator," the lawsuit alleged. "Defendants breached an implied-in-fact contract with defendant."

Sutter used Twitter to react to the lawsuit, saying: "HAVING THE F***ING IDEA IS NOT THE SHOW. THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OF OUTLAW MOTORCYCLE TV DRAMAS PITCHED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. NONE OF THEM HAS MADE IT TO SERIES, EXCEPT SOA. BECAUSE THEY SUCKED."

The Los Angeles Superior Court judge agreed, ruling on summary judgment that Sons was independently created and Zito doesn't have a case.

SOURCE