The estate of Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is suing Netflix, among others, for its upcoming Enola Holmes film – which stars Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown.
In the film, set to be released in September, Millie, 16, stars as the exceptionally gifted younger sister of famed detective Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur in 1887.
As well as British actress Millie, who plays Eleven in Netflix series Stranger Things, Enola Holmes also stars Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes and Helena Bonham Carter as his mother.
Netflix’s film is based on the Enola Holmes series of books, written by US author Nancy Springer, with Millie’s character not part of the original Sherlock storyline.
However Springer is also being sued alongside her publisher Penguin Random House for copyright infringement.
In a 19-page lawsuit filed in New Mexico (and first reported by Deadline) the estate – which lost most of its rights to Sherlock Holmes in 2014 following a lawsuit – is going after the streaming platform for copyright and trademark issues in regards to the film’s portrayal of the detective as possessing emotions.
According to the estate, Sherlock Holmes’ emotional side was a late addition to the character in books that are not yet in the public domain, unlike most of Sir Arthur’s stories featuring his most famous creation.
The 2014 lawsuit found all works made before 1923 should be considered public domain, and the legal papers allege his last 10 stories, published between 1923 and 1927, are still covered by copyright.
The estate argues the author was profoundly affected by losing his brother and son in the First World War and when he returned to Holmes he created ‘significant new character traits’ for both the detective and his assistant Dr Watson.
Most notably, according to the lawsuit, these included the ‘surprising artistic decision’ to develop the previously stoic Holmes with emotion.
Including this portrayal of the detective in Enola Holmes would represent copyright infringement, the estate argues.
The filing said: ‘Holmes became warmer. He became capable of friendship. He could express emotion. He began to respect women.
‘His relationship to Watson changed from that of a master and assistant to one of genuine friendship. Watson became more than just a tool for Holmes to use.
‘He became a partner. The friendship of Holmes and Watson became one of the most important and well known in modern literature.’
Legendary Pictures, screenwriter Jack Thorne, and director Harry Bradbeer have also been named in the complaint.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the estate are requesting a jury trial, unspecified damages and relief from further copyright infringements.
The Doyle Estate previously also tried to sue Miramax over the 2015 film Mr. Holmes in 2015, with the lawsuit settled out of court.
Enola Holmes will be available to stream on Netflix in September.
Metro.co.uk contacted Netflix for comment.
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