Frank Darabont, the former executive producer and show runner for The Walking Dead, has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against AMC for money owed after he exited the popular series…
When Frank Darabont was unceremoniously let go from The Walking Dead a few seasons back no one really believed that the split was amicable. In fact, most believed that there was underlying tension and probably some miffed feelings after Darabont championed the show’s creation only to see AMC take it away and fire him from the series.
Now Darabont is firing back.
The director/writer who most recently produced the short run series Mob City for TNT has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against AMC alleging that he is owed millions of dollars for back end profits for the show based on his original contract to bring the series to fruition.
The Hollywood Reporter has the details:
Court papers assert that Darabont and his agents at CAA, which also is a plaintiff in the suit, have not received even one dollar from his promised profit participation in the mega-hit series. The suit says that as of September 2012, two years after its premiere, AMC — which both produces and airs Walking Dead — claimed the show was running a deficit of $49 million. An alleged sweetheart deal between the network and its production arm “is clearly designed to ensure that [Darabont and CAA] never see that first dollar,” the complaint alleges.
Darabont’s lawyer Dale Kinsella laid out a fairly inflammatory statement about AMC and how they treated his client when he exited the show just weeks into the production of season 2.
“AMC’s conduct toward Frank to date has been nothing short of atrocious. Unfortunately, the fans of The Walking Dead have suffered as well by being deprived of his creative talent.”
The lawsuit filed in New York alleges that Darabont was fired from the show so AMC could avoid paying him royalties that vested after the end of season 2. Darabont is also suing for profits obtained via AMC’s satellite show ‘Talking Dead’ hosted by Chris Hardwick.
