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Mel Gibson sues for "Passion of the Christ" Profits

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Rockets34Legend, Jun 10, 2004.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Member

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    Now this is sad. After releasing a movie that would spread the gospel to Christians and non-Christians, you have to hear this....:mad:

    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=794&e=8&u=/eo/20040609/en_movies_eo/14278

    Mel Gibson (news)'s company, Icon Distribution, has launched a lawsuit against Regal Entertainment Group, the nation's number one movie chain, alleging Regal screwed him out of more than $40 million in box-office receipts generated from The Passion of the Christ.

    The suit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses Regal of failing to honor an agreement to pay "studio terms" to Icon--meaning Icon gets 55 percent of gross ticket sales, while the exhibitor pockets the rest.

    Instead, according to the complaint, Regal reneged on the percentage and informed the company in May it would only pony up 34 percent.

    Icon's attorney, George Hedges, says Regal broke its end of the bargain because it believed it could muscle in on the Lethal Weapon star's profits. And no one messes with Mel.

    "They know what the deal was that they made," said Hedges. "There may be a perception out there that Icon doesn't have the clout of a Warner Bros. in terms of reconciling the box office on this, so we're forced to pursue our remedies in court and we will--forcefully."

    Theater chains traditionally grab a larger percentage of the box-office pie from independent distributors because, unlike Hollywood studios whose profits tend to be driven by must-see blockbusters, indies usually have trouble putting butts in seats.

    But that wasn't the case with The Passion. Since its record-setting opening on Ash Wednesday in February, the Jesus flick has raked in a miraculous $369 million domestically and now ranks seventh on the top 10 grossing domestic films of all time list. (The film grossed more than $600 million worldwide, per Boxofficemojo.com.)

    Aside from the $40 million, Gibson's Icon is also seeking some payback in the form of punitive damages.

    "We had serious concerns that Regal had this strategy of low-balling and stonewalling in mind when we started out the deal and that would give to a broader range of damages," said Hedges.

    A spokesman for Regal declined to comment on the suit, citing pending litigation.

    The Tennessee-based exhibitor, formed in 2001 by Colorado billionaire Philip Anschultz, owns Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theaters and Edwards Theatres and operates more than 6,000 movie screens in approximately 550 theaters around the world.

    Meanwhile, in other Passion news, Icon announced its co-sponsorship of The Passion of the Christ Tour, a series of concerts showcasing the film's score, that kicks off this fall and will continue through the United States until Easter 2005. The performances will be conducted by the film's composer, John Debney, and feature scenes from the movie.
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, Jun 10, 2004
  2. B-Bob

    B-Bob "94-year-old self-described dreamer"
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    Oh yeah, Jesus would totally sue for profits. What a tool (Gibson, not Jesus :) ).
     
    #2 B-Bob, Jun 10, 2004
  3. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    I don't understand why Regal decided to just alter the terms of the agreement after the fact. I suppose I need more facts to understand this.

    "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no."
     
    #3 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  4. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

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    Couldn't he just make up the difference in, say, collectable crucifixtion nails? I also hear that crown of thorns are making a fashion comeback.
     
    #4 Rocketman95, Jun 10, 2004
  5. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    yikes
     
    #5 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  6. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

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    Sorry, but that really turned me off to that movie. One of the reasons I haven't seen it. Of course, I'm already going to hell for not seeing it, per my brother, but that's a different story all together. :)
     
    #6 Rocketman95, Jun 10, 2004
  7. DanHiggsBeard

    DanHiggsBeard Member

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    You're an intelligent one.
     
    #7 DanHiggsBeard, Jun 10, 2004
  8. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    i agree..it turned me off, too.

    you should see the movie, though. you're not going to hell for not seeing that movie..you're going to hell for an entirely different set of reasons. "the heat...my God...the heat!!!" :D
     
    #8 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  9. hooroo

    hooroo Member

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    Philip Anschultz has more money than Mel. Lawsuits have brought down studios in the past. Icon will be the underdogs in this fight.
     
    #9 hooroo, Jun 10, 2004
  10. B-Bob

    B-Bob "94-year-old self-described dreamer"
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    Did RM95 make fun of Farty Jones? :confused:
     
    #10 B-Bob, Jun 10, 2004
  11. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

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    Imagine me squinting into the monitor:

    "It's gonna be rough"

    Yeah, I'll see it eventually. The reason I haven't has nothing to do with my not being affiliated with a church currently (I know you know that). It's just that from when I first started hearing that story in Sunday School, I never had to be told how horrible that was. I have this weird thing that when I hear about death, especially ones the non-natural way, I put myself in that position for a second and try to imagine the horror, pain, etc. I don't need a violent movie to remind me how horrendous Jesus' time on the cross was. However, I know that the movie's not just that and that I'll probably see it in time.

    But how funny is it that someone basically tells me I'm going to hell for not seeing it, when he had just seen the movie...nearly two months after it came out?!?! Is he now on Heaven's waiting list because he didn't see it opening night?
     
    #11 Rocketman95, Jun 10, 2004
  12. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Member

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    Damn...
     
    #12 Rockets34Legend, Jun 10, 2004
  13. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    congratulations...you just reserved a special section in hell for yourself. it involves large animals eating beans. good luck.
     
    #13 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  14. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    the most absurd thing I've ever heard. i don't know how Christians have somehow developed the concept of earning their way into Heaven...particuarly by plunking down $8 for movie ticket.
     
    #14 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  15. mrpaige

    mrpaige Member

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    Considering that Phil Anschutz is also a very religious man, one wonders why he has apparently chosen to allow his company to not live up to its apparent obligations.
     
    #15 mrpaige, Jun 10, 2004
  16. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    yeah..criticisms aside...these are corporate entities...with responsbilities to others who have a financial stake in the companies. when companies don't perform as they agree to in the contract, they go to court...and hopefully, a judge and jury straightens it out. this is not the model of how believers should resolve their disputes, in my view. but in a corporate setting, i'm not sure there's a good alternative. this suit will probably force some mediation and hopefully will foster a settlement that both sides are happy with.
     
    #16 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  17. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Member

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    So if you are a Christian and rich you are supposed to let people screw you out of money? I don't get it. If that money rightly belongs to Mel's company he should sue for it. Any other company that knows what it's doing would do the same thing.
     
    #17 Mr. Clutch, Jun 10, 2004
  18. B-Bob

    B-Bob "94-year-old self-described dreamer"
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    If you (universal "you," or Mel "you" in this case) are a Christian, Mr. C, I question charging people full price to get into your spiritual movie, yes. I question seeking millions of dollars beyond your operating expenses. I also question selling freaking nails to make merchandising money off the death of the savior. Blech.

    Now we have two people supposedly devoted to Christ going to court off the procedes of their Christ movie. Very moving. At the very least, I would expect two devout people to find a way to settle this out of court, perhaps donating the disputed sums to some worthy cause other than their own fortunes.

    Easy for me to say, yes, as I'm not rich at all.
     
    #18 B-Bob, Jun 10, 2004
  19. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    the problem, bob, is these aren't "people" going to court. they're corporate entities. and if they don't enforce their rights under this contract, they'll be sued by their own investors.
     
    #19 MadMax, Jun 10, 2004
  20. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    Ken Lay was supposedly a good, God-fearing, church-going man too.
     
    #20 Jeff, Jun 10, 2004
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