A question of plagiarism

A couple of years ago, I was working for an entertainment company, and I wrote a tagline that was used in advertising, including posters, commercials, T-shirts and DVD packaging.

Just today, I watched a trailer for an upcoming MEGA-blockbuster, and they used my line. They changed the verb, but other than that it's exactly the same line.

I know I've been plagiarized, but I don't know if there is anything I can do about it. I no longer work for the company I wrote it for, though I still have occasional contact with them. I'm not sure if they're aware of it yet. I wanted to get feedback before I bring it up and make an issue of it.

Stealing a tagline... Is that acceptable? Am I just oversensitive? What should I do? Like I said, this is a MEGA-blockbuster, part of a franchise and unquestionably will be one of the biggest movies of 2007.

 

Can you not say which movie? Or is it pretty obvious?

 

Do you own the rights or does the company? Either way, I'm betting you're screwed.

 

Was this your tag line?

"There are CAKES ON THE MUTHAFUCKIN' PLANE!"

 

Just to understand...the company that used your line is not the same company or associated with the company you worked for right?

I don't think this is plagiarism--maybe copyright infringement (although that usually applies to specific words), or intellectual property.  You worked for a company that paid you to write a line. They used it, they own it. If anything, THEY might have a copyright infringement claim against the company that swiped it.  You probably do not.

Is it possible your old company was compensated for the use of the line?

 

I know it's not my case per se, it's the case of my old company, but I wrote it so I feel some attachment.
I suppose it's possible they were compensated for the line, but I would highly doubt it.

 

I only wish I was that brilliant.

 

C'mon, man, this is a serious issue.

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Besides, his line is "There are SNAKES ON THE MUTHAFUCKIN' TRAIN!"

 

I don't think it's very hard to guess the movie.

Haven't seen the trailer, though.

 

If I'd been drinking a Diet Coke at the time, I'm sure it would have been all over my computer.

 

Should've trademarked it out of the box like Pat Riley did with "three-peat."