Director Quentin Tarantino has filed legal papers claiming he is owed more than $4 million in royalties from The Weinstein Company.
Bosses of the failed film company, known as TWC, filed for bankruptcy protection in March (18) after months of looking for a buyer or investor to save it following the allegations of sexual assault against co-founder Harvey Weinstein, who was fired shortly after the exposes were published in October (17).
They are currently taking bids for its assets, and lawyers for celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tarantino filed paperwork at the Delaware Bankruptcy Court on Monday (30Apr18) to object to the sale, claiming their clients will lose out on the money they are owed.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, lawyers for the Pulp Fiction director filed papers referring to the “numerous uncured monetary and non-monetary defaults” that he is owed before any sale is made.
Tarantino, who has worked with Weinstein since his first company Miramax helped make his debut Reservoir Dogs, claims he is owed nearly $2.5 million for The Hateful Eight, $1.25 million for Django Unchained, and $575,000 for Inglourious Basterds, which were released in the U.S. by TWC, and $300,000 for Grindhouse, which was distributed by Dimension Films – owned by TWC. He is demanding an accounting for each of these films as well.
The filmmaker cut ties with Weinstein following the sexual abuse allegations, and is making his next movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with Sony Pictures.
Stars including Rachel McAdams, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep have also filed paperwork claiming they are owed money.
According to Deadline, private equity firm Lantern Capital is currently the frontrunner to acquire the organisation, with an offer of $310 million.
