IP in the Spotlight: From Pirated Books to the Face of Ghostface

This week’s legal drama takes us from the data sets that trained early AI models to the mask that defined a horror franchise. OpenAI dodges a major discovery risk — while Paramount and Spyglass try to stop a last-minute lawsuit over Scream 7’s iconic villain.

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ChaseLawyers Newsletter
February 10, 2026

Hi there,

In the fast-evolving world of tech and entertainment law, timing is everything.

Just as a judge spared OpenAI from revealing internal strategy around its deleted AI training datasets, a legal brawl is heating up over the Ghostface mask from Scream. The special effects studio claiming rights to the design is threatening litigation just weeks before Scream 7 hits theaters — and Paramount’s calling it a “shake down.”

These stories are a reminder that in IP law, history matters — and so does who speaks up first.

OpenAI wins key discovery battle in AI copyright case

A federal judge ruled that OpenAI doesn’t have to turn over internal legal communications related to the deletion of two book datasets allegedly used to train early GPT models. The reversal protects attorney-client privilege and limits what authors like Sarah Silverman can access in discovery.

The decision is a major win for OpenAI and could impact future AI copyright lawsuits. While authors lost this round, their argument that downloading pirated books itself counts as infringement is still moving forward — and could reshape the legal risks for AI companies.

Paramount sues over ‘Ghostface’ mask to block ownership claim before Scream 7

Paramount and Spyglass are suing special effects studio Alterian, which claims it owns the Ghostface mask design used in every Scream movie. The studios say Alterian waited decades and is now trying to cash in right before Scream 7 hits theaters.

The lawsuit asks a judge to rule that Alterian has no legal rights to the mask. Paramount argues the design was properly licensed all along — and that Alterian’s late claim is an attempt to disrupt a finished film for leverage.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

OpenAI Wins Key Discovery Battle as It Gains Ground Against Authors in AI Lawsuits

A federal court sided with OpenAI, ruling that denying willful infringement isn’t the same as asserting a good faith defense — preserving legal privilege over internal decisions.

Who Owns the ‘Ghostface’ Mask? Paramount and Spyglass Sue Ahead of ‘Scream 7’ Release

The studio says the mask has been licensed for decades — and Alterian’s new ownership claims are both time-barred and opportunistic.

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