M. Night Shyamalan Faces $81 Million Copyright Lawsuit Over "Servant"
M. Night Shyamalan, the mastermind behind numerous thriller films, now finds himself in the midst of a major copyright lawsuit tied to his Apple TV+ horror series, Servant. The series, which ran for four seasons from 2019 to 2023, has become a hit with fans of the psychological thriller genre. Shyamalan, who served as producer, showrunner, and occasionally director for the series, now faces an $81 million lawsuit filed by Italian filmmaker Francesca Gregorini.
Gregorini claims that her 2013 film The Truth About Emanuel has striking similarities to Servant, alleging that Shyamalan and his team copied elements from her movie without permission. The legal battle centers around the storyline in both productions, specifically a grieving mother who treats a doll as if it were her deceased child. Gregorini asserts that her film was widely available on iTunes before Servant was developed, suggesting that the series borrowed from her work after she had made it public.
Gregorini’s attorney insists that "There would be no Servant without Emanuel," while Shyamalan's defense paints her as a profiteer seeking an $81 million windfall. They argue that Emanuel doesn't belong to the thriller genre, and that "You can't own a fact, and you can't own an idea."
This isn't Gregorini's first attempt at a lawsuit. In 2020, she had a similar case dismissed by a judge who ordered her to pay legal fees to Shyamalan and Apple. However, her appeal was successful, and the case is now being reconsidered by a judge and jury. Shyamalan is expected to take the stand, defending his series as original and unaffected by Gregorini's work.
Mark M. Shyamalan Bio
M. Night Shyamalan, born August 6, 1970, in Mahé, India, is a celebrated filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer known for his distinctive style in the thriller and supernatural genres. Raised in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania, Shyamalan was influenced by both Indian and Western cultures, which contributed to the unique narrative approaches in his films. He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he honed his craft before making his breakthrough with the 1999 psychological thriller The Sixth Sense, which became a massive commercial and critical success, earning him multiple Academy Award nominations.
Shyamalan’s career includes iconic films such as Unbreakable (2000), Signs (2002), and The Village (2004), which solidified his reputation as a master of suspense and plot twists. Though he faced a series of critical missteps later, with films like The Happening (2008) and The Last Airbender (2010), he regained his standing with The Visit (2015) and Split (2016). Shyamalan also worked on the Apple TV+ series Servant, which received praise for its eerie storytelling.
Despite his success, Shyamalan has faced legal and financial challenges throughout his career, including lawsuits over alleged copyright infringement, as seen with the recent Servant case. As of 2025, his net worth is estimated to be around $80 million, largely from his film and TV ventures. His personal life includes his marriage to Bhavna Vaswani, a psychologist, with whom he has three children.
Shyamalan’s health has remained relatively private, but his dedication to filmmaking is evident in his continuous work, including future projects like Knock at the Cabin (2023). His achievements include being awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 and continuing to push boundaries in storytelling.
