Film writer Clayton Haugen claims that his conceptual images were used as the basis for Mara Modern Warfare
A film writer is suing Activision Blizzard for similarities between one of his Call of Duty characters, Mara, and his own character and copyrighted images.
Clayton Haugen claims that a character he created in 2017, called “Cade Janus” and posted on his website and social networks, was used as a basis for Mara.
Actress and cosplayer Alex Zedra was hired by Haugen, whose Instagram posts show images of Zedra in military clothes before the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
The lawsuit alleges that Call of Duty developers saw the images and hired the same actress and makeup as the basis for Mara, a character in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Haugen claims that Activision Blizzard forced the model and make-up artist to sign non-disclosure agreements to cover the violation.
Mara was added to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as part of her first battle transition and has since released several variants in the game.
The full complaint provides for similarities between Mara’s character and Haugen’s and states that Haugen has the right to “recover all monetary remedies from the defendants’ violation, including all their profits attributable to their violation, to the full extent permitted by 17 USC § 505.”
A previous lawsuit against Activision Blizzard by AM General over the trademark infringement for the use of Humvees in Call of Duty games was dismissed last April.