The estate of the man who owns the rights to “Rear Window” sued Steven Spielberg, the producer of “Disturbia,” in Manhattan federal court on Monday, for stealing Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1954 film story. The lawsuit was filed by the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust.

The legal documents claim that “Disturbia” copies both “Rear Window” as well as a short story called “Murder from a Fixed Viewpoint” which was written by author Cornell Woolrich in 1942. Hitchcock's film was based on Woolrich’s story. The latter also owned the rights for both of them, the movie and the story. But he died back in 1968. They were subsequently sold to Mr. Sheldon Abend, who died in 2003.

However, the trust claims DreamWorks, which produced “Disturbia,” did not do the same. "What the defendants have been unwilling to do openly, legitimately and legally, (they) have done surreptitiously, by their back-door use of the 'Rear Window' story without paying compensation," the lawsuit said.

Abend’s estate brought the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages. The 2007 thriller starring Shia LaBeouf who played Kale Brecht, told the story of a teenager who is sentenced to three months house arrest after punching a teacher in the face for making a comment about his recently deceased father.

Kale Brecht becomes sullen, withdrawn, and troubled and turns his attention to his neighbors. The 1954 film on the other hand is about a photojournalist who is confined to a wheelchair with a broken leg, and the entire story takes place in the courtyard adjoining the rear of his apartment, all events being seen through his eyes. He believes that a murder has been committed by his neighbor Thorwald and sends his girlfriend Lisa and his nurse Stella to investigate. Basically they tell the same thing.

“Disturbia” earned approximately $80 million at the U.S. box office, but the revenue was not shared with Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust whatsoever.