L'Heureux

INTRODUCTION

Frank Miller is a prominent comic book writer. Several major motion pictures have been adapted from Miller’s works, including two based on his Sin City comic book series. Stephen L’Heureux was a producer for one of the Sin City movies. L’Heureux filed this action against Miller; his company, Frank Miller, Inc.; and the company’s chief executive officer, Silenn Thomas (the Miller parties). L’Heureux alleged the Miller parties granted him the rights to adapt Sin City and one of Miller’s other comic books, Hard Boiled, for a television series and a film, respectively, but reneged on the agreements and told various people in the entertainment industry—in particular, production studio executives— not to work with L’Heureux because L’Heureux did not have the rights to use Miller’s works. L’Heureux asserted causes of action for defamation, interference with contract and with prospective economic advantage, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The Miller parties filed a special motion under Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16 (section 425.16) to strike each of L’Heureux’s causes of action and the entire complaint. As relevant to this appeal,…