Gerry ha citato in giudizio i produttori di Motor city per una cifra di 5.1 milioni di dollari, perchè non è stato pagato dopo che il film è stato sospeso e perchè per fare questo film aveva rifiutato altri ruoli e non ha cercato altri progetti. Inoltre aveva negoziato con i produttori di OHF perchè il film venisse finito in tempo per iniziare le riprese di Motor city.
Il suo salario ammontava a 4 milioni, cifra che gli era dovuta anche se il film non fosse stato fatto (come poi è avvenuto) più altri due milioni in seguito.
Gli avvocati difensori dei produttori affermano che non c'è nessun contratto scritto con Gerry e quindi le sue pretese non hanno fondamento. (Gegio, se è vero sei un pirla
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Il salario di Gerry doveva inizialmente essere più alto, infatti doveva ricevere 6 milioni come compenso garantito e 4.5 milioni in seguito, ma aveva accettato un compenso più basso quando il budget del film era diminuito. Però aveva preteso che 4 milioni gli venissero dati in ogni caso.
Gerard Butler Sues Producers of 'Motor City' for $5.1M (Exclusive)Gerard Butler is suing the producers of "Motor City" for $5.1 million in damages, claiming he was not paid after the film was scrapped last summer.
Butler is alleging breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in a suit filed this month in California Superior Court.
Randall Emmett and George Furla's Emmett/Furla Films, which financed "Motor City," is named as a defendant, as is the limited liability company, Motor City Productions, that was established for the film.
Production on "Motor City" ended abruptly last summer when backing for the revenge thriller fell through with two weeks to go before cameras started rolling. Joel Silver’s Dark Castle was also producing the film, and Warner Bros. was set to distribute. Neither Silver nor Warner Bros. were named in the suit.
Butler's salary consisted of a $4 million pay-or-play component, meaning he was guaranteed payment even if the film was never made. He was also due to receive up to $2 million in deferred compensation, according to the lawsuit.
However, Butler's attorneys allege in the suit that in August of last year, the actor's agents at Creative Artists Agency were informed that production would be shut down and his guaranteed payment would not be forthcoming.
"Seeking to capitalize on Butler's hugely popular persona and worldwide recognition, Defendant solicited Butler's services as the lead actor in a theatrical motion picture tentatively entitled Motor City," the suit reads. "After offering Butler the starring role in the motion picture on a pay-or-play basis, Defendant then used and exploited Butler's attachment to the motion picture to pre-sell the distribution rights and raise financing."
Rick Rosenthal, an attorney for Emmett/Furla, counters that the company never signed a contract with Butler and described the suit as "frivolous."
"There is no written agreement between the parties and there were still outstanding deal points that were material to the deal that were not agreed upon," Rosenthal told TheWrap. "Everybody wishes the movie had gone forward, but they do not have any legal liability."
Butler's deal was originally supposed to be richer. According to the suit, he was initially offered $6 million in guaranteed fixed compensation and up to $4.5 million in deferred compensation. Butler agreed to lower his price after Emmett/Furla said that the film's budget had been scaled back, but he claims in the suit that he only consented to the new salary after the producers acknowledged that the majority of his fee was pay-or-play.
The actor claims that not only was he never paid his guaranteed salary, but because of his commitment to the film, he was forced to turn down other roles and did not seek alternative projects.
In addition, the lawsuit states that the actor negotiated with producers of "Olympus Has Fallen," another action film he was working on, to ensure that he would complete filming on that movie in time to start production on "Motor City."
www.thewrap.com/movies/article/gera...r-city-4m-77571