'Stranger Things' Casting Call Could Be Smoking Gun in Rip-Off Lawsuit

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By the TMZ Staff


https://i.imgur.com/6EaIySu.jpg

A "Stranger Things" casting call looks like a smoking gun in a lawsuit accusing show creators, the Duffer brothers, of ripping off a short film -- because it's black and white proof they jacked the film's title.

We've obtained the casting call, from Aug. 2015, for the role of "Barbara." It includes the following, "You have a self tape request for the Netflix series 'Montauk' starring Winona Ryder." The references to Barb (the description's hilarious and dead-on) and Winona make it clear this was "Stranger Things."

https://i.imgur.com/kYR0VUi.jpg

The document also lists Matt and Ross Duffer as writers and directors of the series. TMZ broke the story, the bros were sued by Charlie Kessler, who says he not only made a short film about top secret government experiments entitled "Montauk" ... but he pitched the Duffers a project based on his film.

The timing of the casting call is also super suspect. Kessler says his pitch meeting with the Duffers went down in April 2014. They did NOT strike a deal, but lo and behold, in August 2015 the Duffers were casting for their series, "Montauk."

Netflix had even proudly announced in April 2015 they were buying the series WITH that title.

So, neither the Duffers nor Netflix was bashful about copying Kessler's title ... at the very least. Whether they copied his script could fall to a jury, with the casting call being exhibit A.

[lost in melb.]

Looks like they've got a good case! :dunno: Wonder why they waited so long? More money, perhaps

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By the TMZ Staff


https://i.imgur.com/j2BJfrb.jpg

The Duffer Brothers have a smoking gun to prove they didn't rip off "Stranger Things" ... TMZ has learned.

The brothers are being sued by Charlie Kessler, who produced a short film back in 2012 called "Montauk." He claims he had a meeting with the Duffers in 2014 where he pitched them a series based on the short film. He says he never heard back, but was shocked when "Stranger Things" debuted in 2016, using his script idea and story.

TMZ has obtained emails showing the Duffer Brothers were developing a "Montauk" series as far back as November, 2010 -- 3 1/2 years before Kessler claims he even pitched the show to them.

In 2 emails in November, 2010, the brothers set out their vision ... a "real," "paranormal" "gritty eighties" show. In one of the emails, it specifically says the show is set in Montauk. There is a reference to "the Montauk experiments."

A Google document dated October, 4, 2013, would become the premise for "Stranger Things" ... "Benny (renamed Will for the show) leaves his friend Elliot's house, a bunch of kids are there, eating pizza, dungeons and dragons ... Benny leaves on bike, hears voices, goes into strange world, taken by some evil force."

Two emails from 2014 -- February 27 and April 4 -- both written before the alleged meeting between the Duffer brothers and Kessler, lay out the vision for the show. It reads, "...set in 1980s Long Island" with "a vintage Stephen King feel." The April 4 email mentions a location scout in Montauk.

The lawyer for the Duffer Brothers tells TMZ, "These documents prove that Mr. Kessler had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of 'Stranger Things.' The Duffer Brothers were developing their project years before he claims to have met them."