Porn parodies have been surprisingly successful at avoiding lawsuits, given their use of copyrighted characters and the usual willingness of film companies to sue anyone who treads on their toes. Some think it’s due to George Lucas losing a case against an animated Star Wars porn spoof many years ago – a case that essentially confirmed that satire is protected when no one could be expected to confuse the two products (i.e. no one is gong to buy Star Wars XXX under the mistaken belief that they are buying Star Wars). Others have hinted at studios giving unofficial and unpublicized permission in exchange for payments.

However, Universal have decided enough is enough and are suing Smash Pictures (amongst others) over their Fifty Shades of Grey: a XXX Adaptation.

The film rights to the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy (which, lest we forget, began life as an unofficial porn fan fiction parody of Twilight) were bought by Universal at great expense, so it's probably irksome for a porno version to emerge before they even have a screenplay in place. They are probably also aware that the XXX version of the film(s) will be more accurate to the flavour and nature of the books than any mainstream, R-rated major studio film ever could be.

Universal is joined in the lawsuit by 50 Shades Ltd, author EL James' company. Company defendants include Chatsworth, California-based Smash, Right Ascension Inc., Adult DVD Empire and Luv Moves, which, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "is alleged to have packaged the DVD with sex toys in a kit called 'Fifty Shades of Pleasure: Play Kit & Movie.'"

Individual defendants include Smash owner Daniel Quinn, Smash VP Stuart Wall and "James Lane aka Jim Powers, of Northridge, the alleged 'writer and director of the XXX adaptations.'"

Oddly, the wording of the 31-page complaint is probably the best advertising the film could have.

"By lifting exact dialogue, characters, events, story, and style from the Fifty Shades trilogy,Smash Pictures ensured that the first XXX adaptation was, in fact, as close as possible to the original works.

"Beginning with the first XXX Adaptation's opening scene and continuing throughout the next 21⁄2 hours of the film, Smash Pictures copies without reservation from the unique expressive elements of the Fifty Shades trilogy, progressing through the events of Fifty Shades of Grey and into the second book, Fifty Shades Darker. The first XXX adaptation is not a parody, and it does not comment on, criticize, or ridicule the originals. It is a rip-off, plain and simple."

So basically, the XXX version is a valid and successful adaptation of the book. More so, perhaps, than any sanitised version could be. Perhaps instead of suing, Universal should just give Smash and director Powers a few hundred grand and set them to work on unfettered NC-17 versions of the novels. Given the popularity of the books, it could be just what the rating needs to become established as a legitimate option for filmmakers!

Meanwhile, other adult producers will be watching the outcome of this case very carefully I suspect...