The Chinese-American writer initially filed suit last year (14), claiming she should have received an author's credit and a cut of profits, because the plot of the sci-fi film, penned by Cuaron and his son Jonas, closely resembled a screenplay she had previously submitted to production companies which were subsequently absorbed by Warner Bros.

Gerritsen's script had been based on her own novel, also named Gravity, which was released in 1999, and also followed a female astronaut stranded in space.

She demanded more than $10 million (£6.2 million) from Warner Bros. executives, but her Los Angeles lawsuit was rejected for a second time by U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Morrow in early June (15).

The judge suggested Gerritsen's lawyers amend the case again to correct numerous flaws in their argument, but the author has since decided not to pursue the matter any further, citing "brutal emotional and financial costs".

In a statement on her blog, Gerritsen writes, "(The judge's ruling) leaves absolutely no remedy for a writer in my situation. Based on the court's most recent decision, in which it went so far as to make the extraordinary statement that it finds no inequity in this situation, I have no faith in the system or that my case will ever be heard by a jury.

"The brutal financial and emotional costs of continuing the fight for years to come, against adversaries who have unlimited resources and are willing to use them against me, and the unlikelihood that we will ever be allowed in this courtroom to present our evidence, have made me decide to end my efforts."

The 2013 film, which starred Sandra Bullock, was the toast of the 2014 Academy Awards, landing seven prizes, including Best Director for Cuaron.