Pathé has defended its 2022 movie “The Misplaced King” — starring Steve Coogan and produced by his firm Child Cow Productions — after authorized motion was launched by the one of many real-life characters it depicts.

Richard Taylor, a former deputy registrar on the U.Okay.’s College of Leicester, is suing Coogan, alongside his BBC Studios-owned Child Cow, and Pathé Productions over his depiction within the characteristic, which chronicles the story of how the stays of British monarch King Richard III have been finally found in Leicester in 2012.

On Thursday, Taylor’s lawyer advised London’s Excessive Courtroom that the character primarily based on him (performed by Lee Ingleby) was “dismissive, patronising and misogynistic” towards the historian Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins), in accordance with the BBC.

“Ms Langley is portrayed because the gutsy underdog heroine struggling towards opposition and the claimant because the boastful villain,” wrote Taylor’s lawyer. “He not solely takes steps to guarantee that individuals have no idea about her function however takes the credit score, which was rightfully hers, for himself and the college.”

Talking on the listening to, the lawyer added that Taylor was proven as a “devious, weasel-like particular person,” who mocked Richard III’s incapacity and linked “bodily deformity with wickedness or ethical failings.”

Coogan, Child Cow and Pathé are defending the libel declare, with their authorized consultant arguing that that “The Misplaced King” was a “characteristic movie, not a documentary” and was “not a literal portrayal of actual phrases.” In a press release, Pathé stated it is going to proceed to face by the movie.

“Pathé has an extended, revered and profitable historical past of financing and distributing dramatic movement photos primarily based on actual individuals, occasions and tales (together with ‘The Queen,’ ‘The Iron Woman,’ ‘Philomena,’ ‘Selma,’ ‘Satisfaction,’ ‘Judy’ and ‘The Nice Escaper’) and we stand by our determination to finance ‘The Misplaced King,’ to present Philippa Langley a voice and to deliver her story to the display,” the corporate stated. “We are going to respect the choose’s determination and are assured that the movie doesn’t bear the which means which Richard Taylor is alleging. It was by no means Pathés intention to misrepresent anybody and we consider we’ll reach defending the movie and Pathé’s place.”

Decide Jaron Lewis is ready to present a ruling at a later date on preliminary points within the authorized declare.

Directed by Stephen Frears, “The Misplaced King” first bowed in Toronto in 2022 was launched within the U.S. by IFC Movies in March 2023.