‘UFO’ docuseries is hit with a trademark lawsuit

Produced by J.J. Abrams’ production company Bad Robot Productions, the four-part series – which aired back in 2021 – offered a renewed look at the possibility of alien visitation and the US government’s efforts to cover-up what it knows about the phenomenon.

Now though, the show has become the subject of a lawsuit filed by UFO Magazine Inc.

The popular magazine, which ran for 158 issues between 1986 and 2012 – claimed that the use of the name ‘UFO’ had disrupted its own plans to launch a TV show with the same title.

In addition to holding a trademark for the word, the magazine maintains that AMC had repeatedly ignored requests to change the name of its docuseries before broadcasting it.

“Despite having actual notice and knowledge of UFO Magazine’s trademark registrations and UFO Magazine’s trademark and intellectual property rights, Defendant Showtime has continued to stream its television programming bearing the infringing ‘UFO’ title; has advertised and promoted its television programming bearing the infringing ‘UFO’ title; and has generated substantial revenue from its television programming bearing the infringing ‘UFO’ title,” the filing reads.

Whether or not the company behind the show will co-operate with the request remains unclear.