Noah Wyle Addresses Claims That ‘The Pitt’ is an ‘ER’ Reboot

Noah Wyle expressed his “deep sadness and disappointment” regarding a legal claim that accuses the Max series “The Pitt” of being an unauthorized revival of “ER,” 16 years after the iconic NBC drama concluded.

Wyle, who starred in both series and serves as an executive producer on “The Pitt,” shared his thoughts with Variety regarding the lawsuit brought forth by the estate of the late author and executive producer Michael Crichton, the original screenplay writer for what evolved into the pilot for “ER.”

“The only thing I can comment on is my emotional response, which is one of profound sadness and disappointment,” Wyle stated. “This undermines the legacy that shouldn’t have been affected. At one time, this could have blossomed into a collaboration. And when it didn’t, there was no need for it to turn hostile. But on the 30th anniversary of ‘ER,’ I feel less celebratory about that achievement than ever before.”

In August 2024, Crichton’s estate, which includes his widow, Sherri Crichton, filed a lawsuit claiming that the creators of “The Pitt” committed breach of contract along with two other charges. Wyle, former “ER” producer R. Scott Gemmill, and executive producer John Wells were named as defendants; Gemmill was the creator of “The Pitt,” and Wells serves as an executive producer alongside Wyle.

TODAY.com has reached out to Sherri Crichton’s legal representative for a statement but has yet to receive a response.

At 53, Wyle portrayed the character Dr. John Carter, a promising young doctor in “ER,” and now plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, a seasoned emergency room veteran at a Pittsburgh hospital, in “The Pitt.”

The lawsuit claims that Wyle’s character closely resembles Dr. John Carter from ‘ER,’ albeit 30 years later, and infused with the experiences and lessons from the 15-year run of the original series.

According to the complaint, the defendants began work on an “ER” reboot in 2020 with intentions for it to air on HBO Max. Allegedly, this was done “without any notice” to Sherri Crichton and demonstrated a “brazen disregard” for the contractual rights of Michael Crichton’s estate.

The creators of “The Pitt” suggested that producing the show was a “constitutionally protected act of free speech,” based on a decision from the Superior Court of California in February.

Wyle explained to Variety that he and the creators of “The Pitt” intentionally aimed to create a unique series after negotiations with Crichton’s estate for an “ER” revival fell through.

“We shifted as far away as possible to tell the story we wanted — not for legal reasons, but because we didn’t want to rehash our own creative work,” Wyle stated.

“We genuinely aimed to discover something fresh for ourselves,” he elaborated. “And in some ways, that’s what makes this entire situation so disheartening. We truly believed we had achieved that.”

According to Wyle, discussions about an “ER” reboot “came very close to materializing,” but Warner Bros. Television failed to finalize an agreement with Sherri Crichton, who manages her deceased husband’s estate.

The lawsuit claims that in 2022, the creators of “The Pitt” informed Sherri Crichton about their plans for an “ER” reboot after negotiations halted, only for her to deny consent.

The estate alleges that “The Pitt” bears significant resemblances to “ER,” including its hospital backdrop, structural design, and supporting characters.

“‘The Pitt’ is effectively ‘ER.’ It’s not merely ‘like ER,’ or ‘somewhat reminiscent of ER.’ It is ‘ER’ complete with the same executive producer, writer, lead actor, production companies, studio, and network as the proposed ‘ER’ reboot,” the lawsuit contends. “No one is deceived.”

In a statement released in November 2024, Warner Bros. Television dismissed the lawsuit’s allegations as “meritless.”

“Ms. (Sherri) Crichton’s lawsuit against WBD is devoid of both factual and legal basis. Ms. Crichton’s account of the timeline and content of our discussions over a potential ‘ER’ reboot is inaccurate, and we categorically refute her claims,” the studio remarked, as noted by Deadline.

“Importantly, ‘The Pitt’ does not incorporate any ‘ER’ intellectual property and shares no more similarity with ‘ER’ than shows like ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Chicago Med,’ or other numerous hospital dramas, past or present,” the statement concluded.