Uh-oh! Looks like television network AMC is in for a horror ride. In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Frank Darabont, the creator of horror drama series Walking Dead aired on the network, has alleged that he has been tricked out of millions of dollars and was unfairly fired from the show that he helped bring to the television screen, according to dailymail.co.uk.
Darabont and the Creative Artists Agency are suing AMC, claiming that it used an “outrageous and improper formula” to make profits, causing the show to lose money despite being a raging success. Darabont’s contribution was crucial to developing the graphic novel into a television series. He stated that he was not given his share of the show’s profits. On the other hand, AMC has declared that the show is in the red by $49 million. However, the lawsuit claims that the creator and his agents smell something fishy.
The 54-year-old Academy Award nominee bought AMC the show in 2009, and the network was going to have a third party produce it. Later, it decided to do it in-house. Although this may sound favourable to a third person in the industry, it meant that AMC set $1.45 million as the licensing fee of each episode, which is claimed to be ‘self-dealing’.
The suit delineates that, “The sole goal of this sham transaction is to enhance the profits of the parent company by minimising the revenues that go into the pool of funds for the show’s profit participants. AMC has taken this abusive practice to new heights with plaintiff Frank Darabont.”
The lawsuit further asserts that those involved may never get paid due to what is referred to as AMC’s “outrageous and improper formula… no matter how long-running and successful the series is.” It describes the sham as an “imputed license fee formula” orchestrated to ensure that the plaintiffs don’t get a dime. Darabont is being deprived of tens of millions of dollars of profit despite giving AMC the most popular show on television.
Darabont has also claimed that he is entitled to profits from the Talking Dead, a show aired after the programme every week. The film veteran, who is responsible for movies, the likes of Shawshank Redemption, has stated that he was unfairly fired to make sure that he doesn’t get his share of the profits, which were expected to increase given the growing popularity of the show. According to AMC’s own press release, the premiere of the show’s fourth season was viewed by 16.1 million viewers.
According to the suit, Darabont was promised the executive producer title for the show, but was fired after he was promised a pay rise only weeks after the production on the second season began.
Darabont’s lawyer Dale Kinsella contended that not only his client, but also the show’s fans are being affected by the network’s dubious behaviour. “AMC’S conduct toward Frank to date, has been nothing short of atrocious.”
Thus far, AMC has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.
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