Author sues Apple over Tetris movie, saying it's based on his book

Dan Ackerman, author of "The Tetris Effect: The Game That Hypnotized The World," has filed a lawsuit against Apple and Tetris, accusing them of adapting his book without permission.

In a complaint filed on August 8 in U.S. federal court in Manhattan, Ackerman claims that Apple's original film Tetris has the "same feel, tone, premise and setting" as his original 2016 book, including direct adaptations of "certain chapters and pages."

He accused Apple and Tetris of unfair competition, copyright infringement, and unlawful interference with business relations.

He is seeking actual and compensatory damages equal to 3% of the film's production budget, which was $80 million, and punitive damages in the same amount.

The author claims that he sent a pre-publication copy of the book to Tetris in 2016. The company allegedly refused to license the book’s intellectual property and sent a “strongly worded” cease-and-desist letter discouraging Ackerman from “pursuing film and television opportunities.”

According to the lawsuit, Tetris CEO Maya Rogers and screenwriter Noah Pink began adapting Ackerman's book in 2017 without his consent.