Frank Darabont says he didn’t get a slice of zombie pie. AMC says he’s a dead man walking.
The Walking Dead co-creator Frank Darabont and his CAA agents will reportedly be seeking over $280 million in damages in his lawsuit against AMC over the profits of the hit series.
Darabont, who directed the film Shawshank Redemption, was fired by AMC halfway through The Walking Dead’s second season. He alleges that AMC improperly reduced his profit share by not counting his efforts on the show's second season as being involved all year.
Darabont claims he worked on all episodes of The Walking Dead season 2. Darabont was contractually entitled to as much as 10 percent of certain The Walking Dead profits after deductions. He says that the contract was designed to ensure that the show would never be in the black for profit participants. A judge allowed the claim after an initial deposition from Darabont revealed the "crisis-level problems" on the show.
"Plaintiffs' damages claim has no basis in reality and we will continue to vigorously defend against this lawsuit," AMC representatives said in a statement.
AMC claims Darabont was fired for not holding director’s tone meetings. Darabont claims AMC fired him for complaining that the budget was cut from $3.3 million to $3 million per episode. He also claims that AMC pocketed a tax credit from Georgia for filming in the state.
The Walking Dead season 7 will premiere on AMC starting Oct. 23.
SOURCE: THR