4/14/2016 2:37 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF
EXCLUSIVE
The man trying to shut down the release of “Barbershop: The Next Cut” just got snipped by a judge.
Law enforcement tells TMZ the ruling was made Thursday in L.A. … saying JD Lawrence didn’t have enough to back up his claim the movie’s release would damage him beyond repair.
TMZ broke the story … Lawrence went after Warner Bros and Showtime for the ‘Barbershop’ movies and TV series … saying there were uncanny similarities to scenes from his stage play “Scissors.” Lawrence asked for at least $20 million in damages.
A rep for Warner Bros and MGM (distributors for ‘Next Cut’) tells TMZ, “We are pleased the judge saw through this thinly-veiled attempt to extort the companies that have invested over 14 years and millions of dollars to bring the beloved ‘Barbershop’ franchise to audiences worldwide.”