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.
