The Walking Dead
Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead comic, is suing AMC for 200 million dollars
The Walking Dead creator, alongside several executive producers of the show that adapted the comic to TV, have started a lawsuit against AMC for breach of contract.
The The Walking Dead Finale on TV is proving to be quite exciting. And that’s because, besides a huge amount of side projects coming to TV next year after the conclusion of the main series and a final episode that’ll be the longest in the series, a new lawsuit has come to light. With Robert Kirkman and several executive producers of the show (Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, Charles Eglee, and Glenn Mazzara) as the Plaintiffs, they are suing the AMC television network for over 200 million dollars for breach of contract.
AMC exploited the comic and the producers according to Kirkman
This lawsuit specifies that “even though AMC exploited Plaintiffs’ ideas and services to make billions from The Walking Dead franchise, AMC issued a MAGR definition that, in its original form, would not have paid out a single dollar in profit participation to Plaintiffs. [This] has spurred a storm of disputes with the creative talent on The Walking Dead that ultimately resulted in litigation.”
The legal text mentions that the Plaintiffs have a right to be treated the same as Frank Darabont, the show’s old showrunner, that apparently received 200 million to keep the same matter out of court in the state of New York and is still receiving bonuses and participation money even though he left the production after the second season.
AMC did not wait much to give a public response. “Robert Kirkman, David Alpert and the rest of these plaintiffs have had their biggest claims against AMC Networks thrown out of court twice, so now they are back with another lawsuit,” said Gibson Dunn, AMC’s top lawyer.
“And another lawsuit means another attempt to rewrite their agreements and extract even more than the millions they have already been paid, and will be paid in the future, for their profit participation in The Walking Dead. This is just another crass money grab. We are confident it will fail, as their previous attempts have failed.”
The Walking Dead will come to a close this November 2022 after 11 seasons and 177 episodes. It’ll be followed by more Fear the Walking Dead, a sister series that has been going on for a couple of years, as well as at least 2 spin-off series and one mini-series.
Source | Deadline