The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline both share that a lawsuit has been filed against writer Ed Brubaker, for allegedly abusive behavior on the production of Criminal, the upcoming Prime Video series based on Brubaker and Sean Phillips‘s comic of the same name. Brubaker, who created the show with Jordan Harper, is being sued by production assistant Ijaaz Noohu, who claims he subjected him to sexual, racial and religious harassment, discrimination, assault, battery, and defamation in retaliation for “advocat[ing] for himself and request[ing] a promotion”.
The full lawsuit, which was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges Brubaker asked Noohu inappropriate questions about his sex life; rubbed his back without his consent; and made “jokes” about rape. It is also said Brubaker and unspecified “others” constantly called him Indian, despite him making it clear he is Sri Lankan; asked if he supported Hamas (Noohu is Muslim); and subjected him to other “demeaning ethnic stereotypes” about his background, including assumptions he was good at math.
The purported abuse is said to have escalated to the point Brubaker pulled the trigger on a “functional firearm” at Noohu. Noohu, who came on board Criminal in February 2023, said that after standing up for himself, he was barred from the set, “had his exit date accelerated” to September 2024, and denied credit on the show.
Amazon, MGM, production company Big Indie Pictures, and executive producer Philipp A. Barnett are also being sued. Noohu alleges Barnett ignored or refused to engage with misconduct or complaints, told others to ignore Brubaker’s behavior, and along with Brubaker, defamed the plaintiff to third parties after he was fired, harming his future work opportunities. Noohu’s lawyer is requesting a jury trial, and unspecified damages.
Brubaker, 59, is best-known for co-creating the Winter Soldier and the death of Steve Rogers in his seminal 2005-12 Captain America run, as well as for writing Batman, Catwoman, and Daredevil, and creator-owned books like Criminal. He previously co-created Prime’s Too Old to Die Young, and served as showrunner on the first season of Batman: Caped Crusader.
Criminal, a sprawling, generations-spanning crime saga, was ordered to series by Amazon in 2024, and filmed later that year, but despite boasting a huge cast of big names like Charlie Hunnam, Adria Arjona, and Emilia Clarke, it still hasn’t premiered yet. Earlier this year, Brubaker told SKTCHD the show would be released by the end of 2026, and that it had been delayed by additional filming, as well as corporate restructuring at Amazon.
With this news though, it’s looking possible the show may be shelved entirely, much like Prime’s Anansi Boys, which has been seemingly shelved after the allegations (and lawsuit) against creator Neil Gaiman.
Brubaker’s latest book, Unfinished Tales, will be released in the meantime by Image Comics on November 11.
The difference between Brubaker and Gaiman was the latter seeing a flood of reports and allegations going back years with court action planned after (and only failing from jurisdiction issues).
Here we have a suit landing nearly two years after the person was no longer employed and the series release imminent. The timing is consistent with people looking to force a rapid settlement from a studio.
If this is how Brubaker treats people, I expect more stories to surface soon.
So for over 20 years working in comics, film, and TV, Ed managed to keep this atrocious behaviour completely hidden, and not a single one of his previous victims has told a soul about what he did? Wow. This is a first in history.
This lawsuit is up there with they stole my idea because I had submitted my script to this production company and they read it. The fact that this dude’s lawyer is not one of the lawyers that actually deals with these suits in Hollywood shows you how much of a nothing burger this is.
The kind of behavior alleged in this lawsuit is completely consistent with the workplace environment I’ve been subjected to and my coworkers have been subjected to both in and out of comics over the past 25 years. Props to this young man for sticking up for himself. No one should have to go to work stressing about what kind of messed up stuff their boss is gonna say or what weird way their boss is gonna touch them that day. If your instinct is to downplay this or attempt to normalize it, ask yourself… why? Bringing this lawsuit isn’t something you do lightly, Hollywood is a smaller business than it seems. The risk you take by going public with this is losing your entire career.
I agree with Richard’s remarks. Trust but verify. Yes, believe all victims, but at the same time, take all factors into account. Like the timing, like the fact that Amazon is getting lumped in there. One thing that people should NOT do is go onto social media and immediate damn the person getting accused, saying horrible things about them and saying horrible things about friends defending Ed. Have we learned nothing about the situation that led to Ed Piskor’s death?
Friends in the comic industry have responded that this is quote:”No surprise.” Apparently Brubaker has a reputation for being a very talented A-hole…just the kind of creative Hollywood used to reward and now casts a more focused eye towards. Or maybe it’s just a Classic case of “Power Corrupts”. It’s awful heady to go from grinding away by yourself writing comics for a page rate to actually running a massive series for Amazon.
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