British Album Cover Artist Sues James Cameron Sued Over 'Avatar'

James Cameron is being sued yet again over his hit movie "Avatar” as a British album cover artist filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming the famed director copied his artwork for some scenes in the movie.

William Roger Dean is seeking more than $50 million in damages, claiming that the movie's floating mountains, stone arches, and the physical traits of flying creatures in "Avatar" were taken from his work by James Cameron, Deadline.com reported.

"The similarities of each such work are substantial, continuing, and direct so as to rule out any accidental copying or similarity in scenes common to the genre," states the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in New York, according to Deadline.com.

Bert Field, Cameron’s attorney, told the Associated Press that the filmmaker is the "most original and creative person in the motion picture business today" and shouldn’t need to copy from anyone.

Dean is an established entertainment artist who has done album covers for bands like Yes and Asia.

Charlie Jane Anders, a writer for io6.com, which covers science fiction, pointed out the similarities between Dean’s work and Avatar back in January 2010.

"Since we pointed out the resemblance between ‘Avatar’ and Roger Dean's artwork a month ago, there's been a flurry of discussion on the subject online," Anders wrote. "Entertainment Weekly asked director James Cameron whether he got his idea for the floating mountains from a Yes cover, and he laughed 'It might have been... Back in my pot-smoking days.' Some more great Dean art has been posted in various places, as people celebrate his influence and point to more areas where Dean's art may have helped to inspire ‘Avatar.’"

According to Deadline.com, Dean's complaint is the fourth suit filed against Cameron and Fox involving "Avatar." A federal judge approved a trial in March for screenwriter Bryant Moore, who sued Cameron over copyright material.

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