Netflix in trouble for creating ‘Outer Banks’: Here’s why

Netflix has landed in trouble for Outer Banks, as an author Jeff Wilson recently claimed, the hit teen series and his novel have striking resemblance.

According to TMZ, the author of Queen Anne’s Revenge and Oklahoma Ghost Dance, is suing the streaming giant for similarities between Outer Banks and his debut novel.

Wilson’s novel Queen Anne’s Revenge came out in 2013, follows four friends who embark on a hunt for lost treasure on the coast of North Carolina, after archaeologists located artifacts from a crashed pirate ship.

The author alleges that various aspects of this Netflix series have uncanny resemblance with his novel, including core cast, plot points, and characters arcs.

Wilson also noted that his book was promoted by Discovery and History Channel, mentioning that Outer Banks co-creators, Josh Pate, Jonas Pate and Daniel Burk, were inspired by books to write the series.

As reported by News Observer, the co-creators told the Wilmington Star-News that the series was inspired by “third-party adventure novels,” along with their experience living in Wilmington.

If the author wins the lawsuit, Netflix will have to share with him any profits made from Outer Banks and the streaming giant will no longer be able to distribute the series.

This is not the first time Netflix is facing these claims for the same series, in 2021, the streaming platform was sued by another author Kevin Wooten over a similar claim.

The North Carolina teacher alleged that the series was copied from his 2016 novel Pennywise: The Hunt for Blackbeard’s Treasure. 

However, the suit was dismissed after a judge couldn’t find substantial evidence to Wooten’s claim.