The Hollywood Reporter said eccentric billionaire Alki David's FilmOn and hologram-maker Musion has filed a lawsuit against Cirque du Soleil and MGM Resorts on Monday for patent infringement. The plaintiffs claimed that the popular acrobatics performing company and the show operator violated their patent rights when they used a hologram of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson as a finale for their tribute show "Michael Jackson: One." Cirque du Soleil performed the acrobatic production at the Mandaley Bay Theatre in Las Vegas, THR said.
The complaint, which was filed in California federal court, said David owns a patent for device for displaying moving images in the background of a stage and another for a projection apparatus and method for pepper's ghost illusion. Pepper's ghost illusion, as explained in the lawsuit, was named after John Pepper, who pioneered the illusion technique in 1862. According to THR, David's patents marks the fact that he owns the rights to hologram technology and will be filing subsequent lawsuits aside from the one against Cirque du Soleil and MGM.
David's reason for filing the lawsuit was to bank on the success of the hologram idea in a show, which was done successfully by Cirque du Soleil. Moreover, THR said David has upcoming shows on the road. He was quoted as saying, "We already agreed on hologram performances with Flo Rida and the late Amy Winehouse. Many other shows are coming. This is by far the most exciting business opportunity I have ever seen. Imagine running 100 meters against Usain Bolt or resurrecting Richard Prior!"
According to the lawsuit, David and his co-complainants are seeking an injunction which will stop Cirque du Soleil and other entities to use hologram technology. The plaintiffs are also seeking unspecified maximum damages as well for alleged willful infringement.
"Although it has been widely acknowledged that Defendants employ the technology to create a three-dimensional hologram of Michael Jackson in Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: One, Defendants do not possess a valid license to practice that technology," the lawsuit read.
