In a David-and-Goliath-style legal clash, Jay Bobo, a talented creator of the successful card game “Black Card Revoked” and a related screenplay titled “Southern Education,” has taken a stand against a major film studio, igniting a battle for creative rights and fair compensation. Bobo recently discovered that his creations appear to have been used without his permission by Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation, MRC Distribution Company, L.P., Hot Sauce LLC, Oaktree Entertainment LLC, Dewayne Perkins, and others. In his quest for justice, Bobo has sought the assistance of seasoned attorneys Michael J. King, Matthew S. Brown and Eric Estadt from the Columbus law firm Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP.
Bobo poured his heart and soul into developing “Black Card Revoked” from 2015 to 2022. The game quickly became a cultural touchstone, capturing the hearts of many and receiving extensive media acclaim from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Kevin Hart, CNN, the L.A. Times, the Washington Post and others. A television series based on Black Card Revoked aired on BET in 2018, with Bobo as one of the executive producers and the game is sold by major retailers, such as, Target, Amazon, Walmart, Kohls, GoPuff, and others. However, he recently learned that the defendants allegedly utilized Black Card Revoked to create a feature-length film entitled The Blackening, which is set for release on June 16, without acknowledging its source material or providing any compensation for its use.
Bobo, a resident of Ohio, took diligent steps to safeguard his intellectual property rights by registering copyrights for various versions of “Black Card Revoked,” its expansion packs and his related screenplay. He firmly believes in the significance of protecting creative ideas and recognizes that unauthorized replication severely affects his ability to share his work with the world and be fairly compensated for it.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Columbus, asserts that Lionsgate and MRC were aware of the similarities between their movie and Bobo’s works while producing The Blackening. The movie appears to incorporate ideas and elements from “Black Card Revoked” and Bobo’s screenplay without obtaining permission from Bobo.
In this challenging battle for justice, Jay Bobo has hired Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP, a distinguished law firm renowned for its expertise in business litigation and intellectual property law. They understand the importance of creative rights and fair compensation and the fight to protect small business owners like Bobo. With their extensive legal experience and deep knowledge of copyright law, they are dedicated to ensuring that justice is served and that artists like Bobo receive the recognition and compensation they deserve.
Bobo’s primary objective is to receive acknowledgment for the unauthorized use of his works and fair compensation for its use. “’Black Card Revoked’ is a great example of the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that exists in Columbus, Ohio,” says attorney King, “and we’re here to help clients like Jay preserve and protect their hard work.”
