Chechen writer re-challenged authorship of "Avatar" in court

Ruslan Zakriev, a Chechen science fiction writer, went to court with a demand to recognize himself as a co-author of the film "Avatar". His legal representatives intent to attract the film director, James Cameron, to the case consideration and demand to recover 10 million roubles (USD 15,000) in Zakriev's favour as compensation for moral harm.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Zakriev believes that Cameron had borrowed a part of his novel "Total War. Secret Weapon" published on the Internet in 2002, including specific fragments and dialogues. The writer has entered into correspondence with Cameron's office and received a warning about a counterclaim for defamation.

James Cameron's representatives have admitted that the "Secret Weapon" is repeating the plot of the "Avatar", Zakriev told the "360.tv". According to his version, should his suspicions of plagiarism were unjustified, the film director would not have corresponded with him.

"I haven't published the second part of my novel, which is why Cameron still cannot film the second series of his 'Avatar'," the writer added. According to Zakriev, the second part of the "Avatar" should describe the events of recent years in the United States.