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Los Angeles - Barbershop: The Next Cut has received a lawsuit from a playwright claiming it is a rip-off of his own work.
Ronald Dickerson - also known as JD Lawrence - claims the film rips off his stage play Scissors and the New York writer has filed legal papers against a number of networks and studios claiming $20m (£14m) in damages.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, seeks an injunction blocking the release of the film, claiming the plot, themes, characters and situation bear an overwhelming resemblance to those of Scissors, a stage play that toured in cities across the US from 1998 to 2001.
Barbershop: The Next Cut had its premiere in Los Angeles last week and is due to hit cinemas this in US, Friday 15 April , it is directed by Malcolm D. Lee and marks the third film in the series.
Barbershop: The Next Cut, which stars Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Eve and Nicki Minaj, is the latest instalment in the comedy series about the owners of a Chicago barbershop, their employees and the neighbourhood problems they have to deal with.
Ronald's play is about the proprietors of a barbershop and hair salon in a predominantly African/American neighbourhood, and events in the community around the business.
Time Warner Inc, Warner Brothers Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc and Showtime Networks Inc are all named in the lawsuit but are yet to comment on the action.
Watch the trailer here:
