They’re pitted in opposition to one another.
Noah Wyle is “profoundly sad and disappointed” by the lawsuit that “ER” creator Michael Crichton’s widow has in opposition to “The Pitt.”
Wyle, who beforehand starred in “ER” from 1994 to 2009, is now starring on and govt producing the hit Max medical drama, “The Pitt.”
In August 2024, earlier than the present premiered in January 2025, Crichton’s widow, Sherri, sued Wyle, “The Pitt” creator R. Scott Gemmill, govt producer John Wells and Warner Bros Tv over breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of excellent religion and honest dealing, and intentional interference with contractual relations.
The lawsuit alleged that “The Pitt” is a rebranded model of an unauthorized “ER” reboot.
“The Pitt is ER,” the swimsuit claimed.
“It’s not like ER, it’s not kind of ER, it’s not sort of ER. It is ER complete with the same executive producer, writer, star, production companies, studio and network as the planned ER reboot. No one has been fooled.”
Wyle, 53, instructed Selection concerning the swimsuit, “This taints the legacy, and it shouldn’t have.”
“At one point, this could have been a partnership. And when it wasn’t a partnership, it didn’t need to turn acrimonious,” the Emmy-nominated actor added. “But on the 30th anniversary of ‘ER,’ I’ve never felt less celebratory of that achievement than I do this year.”
On the time of the lawsuit in August, the studio mentioned in an announcement, “The lawsuit filed by the Crichton Estate is baseless, as ‘The Pitt’ is a new and original show. Any suggestion otherwise is false, and Warner Bros. Television intends to vigorously defend against these meritless claims.”
Earlier than “The Pitt,” Wyle was finest recognized for enjoying John Carter on “ER” in over 250 episodes. The long-running medical drama additionally starred George Clooney and Julianna Margulies. The trio — and co-star Anthony Edwards — lately reunited for Clooney’s Broadway premiere of “Good Night, and Good Luck.”
On “The Pitt,” Wyle stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch.
The present follows the medical workers at a fictional Pittsburgh hospital throughout a 15-hour shift, with every episode overlaying an hour of the shift.
Crichton, who died from most cancers in 2008 at age 66, can also be recognized for “Jurassic Park” and “Westworld.”
In his contract for “ER,” he had a “frozen rights” provision, which prohibits Warner Bros. from making any “ER” sequels, remakes, or spinoffs with out the consent of Crichton or his property, helmed by his widow, Sherri.
After Warner Bros Tv wasn’t capable of come to phrases with Sherri about an “ER” reboot, Wyle instructed Selection: “We pivoted as far in the opposite direction as we could in order to tell the story we wanted to tell. And not for litigious reasons, but because we didn’t want to retread our own creative work.”
“The Pitt” streams Thursdays on Max at 9 p.m. Season 2 will reportedly premiere in January 2026.
