MGM Sues to Halt Filming of 'Raging Bull II'

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, which produced the 1980 Martin Scorsese–Robert De Niro boxing saga "Raging Bull," filed suit in Los Angeles against the producers of a sequel—dubbed "Raging Bull II"—and the iconic boxer Jake LaMotta, whose story is the basis of both flicks.

MGM alleges that the new film violates a 1976 contract it signed with LaMotta giving the studio exclusive rights to his 1970 autobiography, "Raging Bull: My Story," co-written by Peter Savage. The studio contends the contract forbids LaMotta and Savage from producing any other work based on the "Raging Bull" tale without giving it first refusal. In 1986 LaMotta wrote a follow-up book, which MGM claims is covered in the contract.

In the complaint MGM "requests that the Court rescind the agreement(s) by which LaMotta has granted RBII Defendants rights in the Sequel Book and enjoin the RBII Defendants from further producing, distributing, marketing, advertising, or otherwise exploiting the Sequel Picture."

Slated to be released next year, “RB II” stars "Boardwalk Empire" actor William Forsythe as LaMotta, along with Joe Mantegna and Paul Sorvino.

The original "Raging Bull" is considered a classic and earned DeNiro an Oscar as Best Actor.