The legal battle between self-described former drug kingpin Cory “Ghost” Holland and the team behind the “Power” series has intensified over 50 Cent’s plan to tell the origin story of the iconic character “Ghost.”
Holland filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against 50 Cent, Courtney Kemp, Starz, and Lionsgate in 2021.
He claims that the “Power” series unlawfully mirrors his life story, mainly focusing on the lead character “Ghost,” who he alleges is a direct depiction of his experiences.
The controversy stems from a “cautionary tale” CD titled “Blasphemy” about Holland’s life that he claims to have sent to Kemp’s father to find a way out of the drug trade, which he believes was used to develop the series without his consent.
Holland, representing himself in this high-stakes lawsuit, recently filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction against rapper 50 Cent and the television network Starz.
The injunction aims to halt the promotion of the upcoming spinoff, “Power: Origins,” which revolves around the backstory of Ghost and Tommy, central characters to the original “Power” saga.
“Power: Origins” will explore the early dynamics that forged these characters into the complex, multifaceted personalities they were in the series.
Fans eagerly anticipate this new narrative arc and the creative insights of original creator Courtney A. Kemp and 50 Cent.
Holland’s motion for a preliminary injunction argues that the continued promotion of “Power: Origins” and developing a new backstory for “Ghost” will significantly harm his right to a fair trial by potentially influencing jurors.
Holland emphasized the need to maintain the evidence’s “status quo” to ensure an impartial verdict, highlighting the potential for the 50 Cent’s actions to defy his constitutional rights to a fair and unbiased trial.
In response, 50 Cent’s lawyers vehemently opposed the motion, stating that Holland’s attempts to restrict the promotion of “Power: Origins” were unconstitutional and baseless.
They argue that Holland has not demonstrated any probable success in his defamation claim and that the series’ development poses no direct relevance to the inquiry of whether the original series defamed him.
Furthermore, they assert that halting the spinoff’s development would unjustly impact Starz and the broader “Power” universe by freezing potential revenues and developments of its intellectual property.
