Peter Jackson Sues New Line For 'Rings' Profits (1 Viewer)

[Seth Paxton]

Dave Mansell? Probably cashing checks that were intended to go to PJ originally but were redirected to him for his "internet buzz troll" work for NL.

 

[Sean Laughter]

I thought under-reporting (on the books anyway) the performance of films was a well-known way studios try and get out of paying screenwriters the proper profit-based arrangments they often make with them? I read this somewhere, don't remember where.

 

[Malcolm R]

There's a lot more standing in the way of "The Hobbit" than a friendly little lawsuit between parties.

If New Line ever obtains the rights, I'm sure their first call will still be to Jackson & Co.

 

[Tino]

Not exactly. He received a bonus check rumored to be in the neighborhood of $100 million, but did NOT regain profit renumerations.

Not a bad chunk of change, but I'm sure now that he wishes he still had those profit deals.

 

[Sam Favate]

If and when the Hobbitt gets cleared to be made, I think Jackson is the guy they will go to first. With each of the LOTR films grossing about $1 billion a piece, any studio making the Hobbitt will want to market it as being "from the team that brought you LOTR" or "from legendary director Peter Jackson."



I think that's very true. I recall Paramount claiming Forrest Gump didn't make any money so the studio didn't have to pay participants. It happens all the time.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

The Cameron thing was a story back then. The question arose at Fox about how to reach an equitable deal with Cameron, who had no legal standing per se, but MUCH, MUCH clout. And the keys to a True Lies II and a few other properties, if they wanted. That's a big number, Tino. About ten times what I thought he got.

He earned every penny though

Back to The Hobbit, this is business. That is business. This lawsuit would not have one iota of effect on the chances of The Hobbit film. Like Malcolm said, if NL gets the rights, PJ gets the very first call (and a fat check).

Business,
Chuck

 

[rich_d]

Several have use the word profit participation and I wonder if anyone is on that basis after the Art Buchwald mess several years ago. The studio's use a bunch of highly suspect accounting methods to recoup money without showing profits (taxable).

Maybe there are some small fries that still are on that but any heavy hitter like Jackson must be getting money on a gross revenue versus profit basis (besides any contracted flat fees). This goes back years and years. That's why Jack Nicholson made a ton of money on Batman back in '79.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Business is business. Until it gets personal. So we shall see.

 

[Kevin Grey]

Remember, Jackson wasn't a heavy-hitter when he started filming Rings. I'm sure his King Kong deal is much more favorable than what he had for LOTR.

 

[Daniel-A]

After Jackson gives them there most successful films in who knows how long, they pull something like this. Give the man what he's earnes.

 

[David Forbes]

PJ got $20 million up front for writing, directing and producing Kong, a deal that industry insiders were shocked and amazed by, since it far outstripped what any other director had ever received up front before. And who knows what the back end of the deal is, but I'm sure it's pretty sweet.

 

[Russell B]

When you have more money than you ever need suing for more is just being greedy. Give me $100 million i will work for free the rest of my life.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

The big question is, is he doing it just for his own private benefit? Sure, some of it will be used as private income, but I expect he'll use much of the money to invest back into developing his facilities in Miramar, thus giving himself the capacity to continue making incredible films into the future. And as a resident of Wellington I for one support that.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

To me, it is not a question of need but rather what Jackson was entitled to to begin with. It is about honoring what you agreed to in the first place. That is more important than need. It says a lot about one's character. This is a performance contract where both parties stand to benefit based on meeting certain well defined goals.

As two parties who signed an agreement to be fair with each other, it is only reasonable to expect what is rightfully yours. When two parties cannot agree to settle their dispute as gentlemen under the terms of their original agreement then someone is definitely screwing someone else.

Filing a lawsuit is the last recourse one has to remedy the situation. Here, too bad it has to come to that.

~Edwin

 

[Dave Miller]

Bingo! If the calculations were wrong then the agreement was not kept.

Peace,

DM

 

[Ernest Rister]

Give me $100 million i will work for free the rest of my life.

Then the Govt. takes over half of that, and then you use the remaining $40 some million to fund your new visual-f/x studio and fund a new project, and pay the salaries and payroll taxes of your employees, etc etc -- soon you're in debt again.

 

[Dave H]

What Earnest said.

 

[Seth Paxton]

No kidding. I mean how can PJ be greedy for asking someone else for money they kept? It's the same large sum of money and both sides have plenty.

Heck, why doesn't Gates just go ahead and send everyone a check until he's back to $2m, which is more than enough to live comfortably on. Sheesh. Let's not get crazy socialist here.

This is biz and if PJ was supposed to get it then he should. Many film artists put their own money into future productions, both to make more money and to be more INDEPENDENT. No one faults Lucas for building the ranch with Star Wars money, or Disney for building his great company.

In turn PJ creates new jobs with that money and promotes the film production industry wherever he sets up shop at or with whomever he deals.

 

[Nigel McN]

yeah, studios mess around with the books, it's come up multiple times before, Winston Groom had to sue because Forrest Gump failed to make a 'profit', and the Oscar Schindler foundation had to also because Schindlers list also failed to make a 'profit'.

Though in this case is sounds like New Line simply paid themselves (or their subsidiaries) higher than if they had to compete with others for various subcontracts on production of the dvd.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]