i was just wondering with all the people who are writing scripts both proffessionally and amatuerly(by no means do i wish to offend any people on these forums) wouldnt it be possible that with the mountains of scripts and plot iodeas that are fleshed out that after a while two completely different people come up with a script thats so similiar it can be classifioed as plagiarism. i say this as i had a plot idea and started to flesh out an idea till i realised my story was almost identical to men at work the movie with charlie sheens and emilio estevez.

If you flesh out a script idea in any way remotely close to Men at Work, you better flesh that bad boy out some more. lol btw, wasn't this thread deleted before?  I thought the question was kinda pointless myself.

The simple answer is yes, absolutely. (Disclaimer: Me no lawyer.) When it comes to copyrights, though, ideas are not copyrightable. You can copyright a treatment (specific plot and characters) and a finished screenplay, but if you put a good idea out, anyone can brainstorm their own plot out of it.

My favorite example of this is the year of the asteroid collision. We had Armageddon and Deep Impact come out the same summer. Both had an identical idea, but the plot was taken from different angles. Both involved a space shuttle going into space to blow up the asteroid. However, both had vastly different characters, different subplots, and even ending.

I would also direct your attention to a little company called The Asylum that is well-known for having multiple films in IMDB's Bottom 50 as well as a slew of "studio tie-ins", which are little more than rehashes of plots of films that are due to hit the theatres about the same time theirs hit the video store. For Snakes on a Plane, we had Snakes on a Train. For Aliens vs. Predator, we had Alien vs. Hunter. For The Hills Have Eyes, we had Hillside Cannibals. And my personal favorite: Sunday School Musical...any guesses as to the tie-in? Just about every major studio picture has a studio tie-in from these people. Read more on Wikipedia

Think about how many James Bond clones there were in the 60's. They didn't take plots or characters, so they were fine. How many investigative police/CSI dramas are there? If you want to adapt an identical plot, use a specific title, or use characters, you have to get permission. An idea? Pssh. They're a dime a dozen, and free for anyone who wants one. Hell, if you get stuck for an idea, read your TV guide. You might find one that inspires you.

So the fact that you have a script similar in plot to one already in production or even out there doesn't make you a thief and you won't get in trouble for it unless you use the same plot and characters. My opinion is keep writing it WITHOUT STUDYING THE EXISTING FILM and see how similar and different yours turns out. If it's only "almost identical", then there are no issues.

another example i had a script i was working on and then i found out that theres a movie with kevin james coming out called paul blart mall cop that is basically my story  but with a few small differences

Weirdest similarity I ever had was this: several years ago (1998, I think) I wrote a play about a guy who'd had a hell of a life growing up, and had created five distinct personalities in his head. Once of these personalities killed his wife, and during a climactic hyponosis session, all five of them were shown to have come out in succession one evening during an argument, and the last one was the one that did it.

I wrote a sequel to this story in 1999 or 2000 where the psychiatrist who treated the guy ran across a machine that allowed him to get into the guy's head and examine his various personalities right to the event that spawned them in the hopes of curing the condition. I had the entire storyline planned out with him and the guy's "true" personality moving through each personalities "inner world."

And then Cell came out in 2001.

To date, I've never completed that story (I actually lost the treatment I'd written for one reason), but there's no reason I couldn't. The base plots are very, very different despite the similarities.

With your mall cop, there's no way two people could turn out identical screenplays, which is why that part is copyrighted. Two similar, or even identical ideas? Sure. That's why that isn't.

Simply put...and a goofy way to explain it is this:  there is more than one hamburger joint   Wendy's makes it your way, McDonald's does it their way, Burger King broils there's, Whataburger makes the burger with a lot of mustard...and so on...they all make burgers, but each has found their niche with the burger...just make yours (what you write) the way you like it and you're good!   

And don't, whatever you do, never write script about a successful yet flawed playboy businessman who builds himself a half robotic half metal suit that enables him to fly to Iraq and beat up bad guys before having a 3rd act showdown with his evil business partner. Because that baby is mine I tell you, Metal Man is all mine!

GM, stop hacking into my computer and swiping my scripts!

Somebody beat you guys to it.

http://new.presidentbaby.com/

Pitch 5 - 2:30 in

Dang it. I guess I'll go ahead and delete the script about the president's son too. I mean, it's in the constitution.

Honestly, that was hilarious. So this chick couldn't imagine a successful action flick about a guy flying around in an iron suit fighting terrorists. Oh well, she's seen Honeymoon in Vegas.

Quoted from Shelton Somebody beat you guys to it. http://new.presidentbaby.com/ Pitch 5 - 2:30 in

Amazing.