Landis / Jackson / Optimum Productions
Michael Jackson sued by 'Thriller' director John Landis. 
A day after the announcement that the Nederlander Organization has acquired rights to produce a musical version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" comes legal uncertainty for fans looking forward to a Broadway-style version of the epochal 1983 "Dawn of the Dead" meets "Soul Train" music video.
Turns out that the 14-minute mini-film's director and co-writer John Landis -- the movie comedy maestro behind "Animal House," "The Blues Brothers" and "An American Werewolf in London" -- filed court papers last Wednesday suing Jackson's company, Optimum Productions, for breach of contract. (You can see them reprinted here courtesy of thewrap.com.) At issue: Landis alleges that the King of Pop has been bilking him out of profits from "Thriller" and its accompanying "making of" documentary since 2005.
Among the complaint's accusations: * That Jackson/Optimum Productions concealed profits made from "Thriller" and the documentary
* That Jackson failed to pay Landis his fare share -- 50% of the video and documentary's net profits as stipulated by a 1983 contract -- over the last four years
* "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct" toward Landis by Jackson and his minions
Confounding matters, no legal representative for Jackson has come forward so far. But a mysterious Angeleno physician named Tohme Tohme (seriously, you can't make this stuff up) "appears to have taken charge of the singer's business and legal affairs" says The Wrap.
-- Chris Lee
Photo credit: MJJ Productions [Pop & Hiss]
6:47:16 AM 
|
