Bulgakov's heirs lost the lawsuit against the screening of the Russian film adaptation of "The Master and Margarita" in the United States

In September, the Russian film adaptation of the novel “The Master and Margarita” started showing in the United States. The heirs of Mikhail Bulgakov, who opposed the American premiere, according to media reports, lost the court proceedings, writes NSN.

The film has already been shown abroad, including in Europe, where it received some success. In addition, filming of the first English-language version of The Master and Margarita is planned for the end of 2026 in the United States.

The grandchildren of the writer’s third wife, Daria and Sergei Shilovsky, who have the rights to Bulgakov’s legacy, tried through the court to ban showings of the Russian film adaptation in the United States. According to the Mash Telegram channel, they demanded that the creators of the film be held accountable due to the presence of English subtitles. The heirs insisted on paying a penalty and a complete ban on showing the film in English in American cinemas and educational institutions.

The plaintiffs' position was based on a contract that expressly prohibited the film from being translated and subtitled without their separate consent. However, during the trial, it was not possible to find evidence that the defendants themselves were involved in translating the picture or gave permission for such screenings. As a result, the proceedings ended in defeat for the Shilovskys.