In what should not be a surprise to anyone in the modern world Netflix is being sued by the publisher of the Choose Your Own Adventure book franchise. They claim that the streaming service infringed on its trademark by having viewers choose the actions of the main character in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
Chooseco filed a lawsuit in a Vermont federal court claiming that Netflix unlawfully used the company’s intellectual property in the Black Mirror: Bandersnatch special released late last month and caused “reputational harm” worth $25 million.
The children’s series “Choose Your Own Adventures” has readers select the characters’ path among a variety of different plots and endings.
Chooseco accused Netflix of trying to “capitalize on viewers’ nostalgia” by using direct references to the series from the 1980s and 1990s. They also objected to the association with violence in the film, according to the outlet.
"We have received an unprecedented amount of outreach from people who believed we were associated with the creation of this film, including parents who were concerned that we had aligned the CYOA brand they knew and loved with content that surprised and offended them," the company's co-founder and publisher, Shannon Gilligan, said in a statement to BuzzFeed.
The lawsuit alleges one count each of trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition and false designation of origin, the outlet reported.