Ed Brubaker, the acclaimed comic book writer known for co-creating Marvel's Winter Soldier and the indie series Criminal, is facing a lawsuit alleging a hostile work environment. A former production assistant, ljaaz Noobu, filed the complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court, naming both Brubaker and Amazon MGM Studios, along with production company Big Indie Pictures, as defendants. The suit comprises at least 12 claims, including allegations of sexual and racial harassment, as well as assault and battery.
According to the complaint obtained by Deadline, Noobu, a Sri Lankan American filmmaker with 14 years of industry experience, was hired in February 2023 as a production assistant for the Criminal TV series, serving under showrunner and executive producer Brubaker. The lawsuit states that Noobu was subjected to a workplace that became "toxic and abusive" due to the actions of those in authority.
Specific allegations detailed in the complaint include instances of racial and sexual harassment. The suit also controversially claims that Brubaker held a functional firearm to Noobu's head and pulled the trigger. Furthermore, the complaint asserts that Noobu faced retaliation and was terminated from the production after seeking a promotion and was denied credit for his work on the series.
Representatives for Amazon MGM Studios and Ed Brubaker have not yet issued a comment regarding the lawsuit. The 'Criminal' television series is based on the long-running Image Comics series created by Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips. Prime Video officially greenlit the series in January 2024, with a cast including Richard Jenkins, Adria Arjona, Kadeem Hardison, and Charlie Hunnam. Principal photography for the series reportedly took place later that year.
Brubaker has had a prolific career in comics since the early 1990s, notably contributing to DC Comics' Captain America run where he reimagined the Winter Soldier. In recent years, he has expanded his work into television, contributing to series such as Westworld and Batman: Caped Crusader before taking on the showrunner role for Criminal.