Movies - TV
New Ruling Declares Studios Potentially Liable For 'Deceptive' Movie Trailers
By VALERIE ETTENHOFER
Two Ana de Armas fans, Conor Woulfe and Peter Michael Rosza, decided to watch a movie called “Yesterday,” which supposedly featured the actress. The movie didn't have a huge impact on audiences or critics, but its legacy is now tied to a recent decision by a federal judge that could make studios liable for misleading movie trailers.
Ana de Armas didn't make the final cut of “Yesterday,” as she was part of a subplot that was edited out after test audiences rejected it. However, her face is in the trailer, and the two fans felt their $3.99 rental fee was a rip-off, so they sued Universal Pictures, the studio that distributed “Yesterday,” for $5 million.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson ruled in favor of the plaintiff's claims that the trailer fell under false advertising laws, meaning it is now possible to sue movie studios if they include scenes and/or actors in the trailer that don't appear in the movie. Studios, however, may be able to protect themselves with a simple disclaimer at the end of their trailers.