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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Men Feud Over Rights To ‘Pachuko Boy’

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Writer Michael Montijo claims Rodney "Red" Grant stole his idea for "Pachuco Man, The True Mexican Superhero," whose slogan is "When crime calls, Pachuco Man will get there when he gets there." Montijo says Grant's insistence that he owns half of the "Pachuko Boy" character is interfering with a development deal.

In his federal complaint, Montijo says Grant asked him to help write a screenplay after he saw the T-shirts Montijo made showing Pachuco Man and his slogan.

Montijo says he finished the screenplay in a few months, "with minimal help from defendant."

Montijo says he was unable to sell the screenplay, so he dropped the idea. That's when Grant developed a cartoon version of the show that he called "The Adventures of Pachuco Boy." Grant's show used the characters Montijo created, but made them children instead of adults, according to the complaint.

Then Grant lost interest in the idea, Montijo says, so he picked it back up.

Montijo says he collaborated with animator Phil Ortiz, who drew characters based on Montijo's descriptions. Montijo says he also discussed product placement with T-Mobile, Budweiser, Dickies and other companies.

Montijo says Grant asked him to sign a co-ownership agreement while Montijo was recuperating from brain surgery. Unhappy with the agreement, Montijo changed the project's name to "Pachuko Boy," and continued to work full time on developing and marketing the show, the lawsuit claims.

Now, Montijo says, Grant is standing in the way of a development deal with production company The Hatchery. Montijo says Grant insists that he owns half of "Pachuko Boy."

Montijo is represented by Michael Weiss.

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