LAWSUIT: Tupac biopic lawsuit for $10 million may put the future of the movie in jeopardy.
Following the success of Straight Outta Compton, the NWA biopic, fans and producers were eagerly searching for the next hip hop movie adaptation. Then came along, the Tupac biopic. Fans and producers celebrated at the chance of watching Tupac’s life story unfold on the big screen. There were several open casting calls across the country looking for actors to play the legendary infamous Tupac Shakur. Most recently, WSA Casting held an open casting call in Atlanta for Atlanta male actors to audition for the role. Then it was revealed that producers may have found their leading man for the movie. Everything was moving forward
But, all of that may be coming to an end.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emmett/Furla Oasis claims Morgan Creek broke the companies’ co-producing contract for the Tupac biopic by hiring an actor and creating a production schedule with out their consent or approval.
The company now wants $10 million in damages.
From THR:
In the complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Emmett/Furla principals Randall Emmett and George Furla say “the development of the Picture had stalled and the project was essentially dormant for a few years” by the time they became attached to the film in 2013.
Emmett and Furla say they signed an agreement to produce the biopic with Morgan Creek in September 2013. Terms of the agreement include a production budget not above $30 million, mutual approval for the production schedule and distribution and sales agreements and sole approval for Emmett/Furla of the director (Carl Franklin recently replaced John Singleton) and the actor who would portray Shakur, they say.
Apparently, things got heated after the release of Straight Outta Compton, as Morgan Creek pushed the Emmett and Furla to come up with the money to start filming of the Tupac Biopic.
The plaintiffs allege a month after the release of Compton, Morgan Creek required they produce immediate evidence they could pay half the film’s production budget and agree “to new and arbitrary terms that were not part of the original … agreement” or otherwise forfeit their participation in the project. A month later, they say, Morgan Creek informed them the budget for the project would exceed $34 million and renewed the demand for Emmett/Furla to provide 50 percent.
Emmett and Furla refused, they say.
The plaintiffs now want $10 million in damages. In addition, they claim breaches of contract, breach of the implied covenant and breach of fiduciary duty.
Recent Tupac news:
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‘Tupac’ Biopic Open Casting Call for Lead Roles
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Upcoming Tupac Shakur Biopic is “On Hold”
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Tupac-Shakur’s Last Words Are Finally Revealed
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