Despite the glamor, show business involves a lot of money, which can cause disagreements
Although hollywood being glamorous in many ways, it’s a bubble with lots of money and investment at stake. When contracts are broken, it’s a matter of millions at risk. Over the years, several celebrities have waged legal battles against studios and organizations, which have involved significant amounts of money.
If celebrities claim they were defrauded, wrongfully fired, or production was halted before filming even began, they’re usually willing to take their dispute to court.
In most cases, contract battles end in favor of whoever has the most fame, though many settle out of court while leaving financial details private. Check out five celebrities who have already sued major Hollywood studios:
Sylvester Stallone x DEM Productions and FM Entertainment
The actor had a small role in ‘The Good Life’ a 1997 film with his brother Frank. However, Stallone accused the filmmakers of promoting the film as if he had a lead role, then sued them for breach of contract.
Eventually, the producers fought back with a lawsuit of their own, asking for $50 million, claiming the Stallone brothers backed out of their contracts and “tried to take over the film.” After a two-year legal battle, both sides settled in 1999.
robin williams X Frank and Beans Productions
Williams claimed that Frank and Beans Productions owed him money in a “pay-or-play” deal for “A Couple of Dicks” in 2008. even though the film was never completed or released. The actor is seeking $6 million in settlements, but it has not been disclosed who won the case.
In 2010, the film finally took off, but it starred Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, receiving the name “Cops in Trouble”.
One case that has garnered a lot of attention recently was Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney. The repercussion of the case was high, as it involved one of the most famous franchises in the world: Marvel.
In 2020, the actress played the role of “Black Widow” in the film of the heroine. The feature film, produced by Disney, was released in July 2021 and Johansson quickly filed a lawsuit against the studio. She claims she violated her contract by releasing the film on Disney+ at the same time as its theatrical release. The studio’s decision cost her millions, which depended on the film’s box office success for financial compensation.
Disney says it was a justifiable decision due to the pandemic and that they didn’t breach their contract. Johansson’s lawyer disagrees and says Disney executives are clearly violating contracts with their artists to grow their revenue through Disney Plus subscriptions.
Gerard Butler X Olympus has fallen
Shortly after the news of Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit broke, Gerard Butler decided to step in and file a lawsuit against the producers of Olympus Has Fallen.
The actor claims the studio owes at least $10 million in compensation, adding that he believes they underestimated the film’s domestic and overseas box office receipts.
Richard Gere X Random Acts Entertainment
‘Pretty Woman’ star Richard Gere sued a production company for extortion in 2018. He signed a deal with ‘Random Acts Entertainment’ to jointly purchase the rights to a book, which would be adapted into a film . A screenwriter from the production company would write the script and Gere would act as he directed.
One of the problems was that Gere paid the royalties to the book and was never repaid. In addition, the script produced was very weak, so the actor wanted to veto it. They reached a creative impasse, and the production company threatened to sue Gere, who held all rights to adapt the book at the time. He claims they tried to extort him to pay him $500,000 to get out of the project and are suing them for extortion.
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Source: Terra
Amanda Larkin is a celebrity journalist at Gossipify, known for her in-depth interviews and unique perspectives on the entertainment industry. She covers celebrity news and gossip, providing readers with engaging and informative content, and understanding of the inner workings of the industry. She’s respected for keeping readers up to date with the latest trends and providing a fresh perspective on the celebrity world.
