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Gerard Butler Sues Studios for $10 Million Over ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Payments

Gerard Butler Sues Studios for $10 Million Over ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Payments

Gerard Butler filed a lawsuit on Friday against production company Nu Image/Millennium Films, charging that he is owed at least $10 million in backend compensation for the 2013 film “Olympus Has Fallen.”

Butler’s suit comes on the heels of another high profile legal battle between a star and a producer over compensation. On Thursday, Scarlett Johannson filed suit against Disney, citing the simultaneous release of “Black Widow’ on Disney+ and in theaters. The breach of contract lawsuit charged that Disney “intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”

Butler’s representatives, as well as Nu Image/Millennium Films, did not immediately respond to a request from TheWrap for comment.

In Butler’s lawsuit, obtained by Variety, Butler claims the producer Nu Age/Millennium Films had underestimated the domestic and foreign receipts for the hit action film by “tens of millions of dollars” and had also failed to report $8 million that was paid to the production company’s own executives.

The suit reportedly reads: “Producers have earned tens of millions of dollars from ‘Olympus,’ but refuse to pay Butler a penny of the grosses and profits promised to him in the parties’ agreement…Butler refuses to tolerate Defendants’ misrepresentations and other wrongful conduct. Butler worked with Defendants to create a highly successful movie franchise. He demands his fair share.”

“Olympus Has Fallen” was a surprise box office hit in 2013 with a $30 million weekend opening, about $10 million above industry and analysts’ projections.

“Olympus” topped the $25 million debut that Bruce Willis managed with “Good Day to Die Hard” in February of that year. And its opening was bigger than the bows of Sylvester Stallone’s “Bullet to the Head,” Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “The Last Stand” and Jason Statham’s “Parker” combined, according to Box Office Mojo.

To date the film has grossed $170 million at the box office. It was followed by two sequels, “London Has Fallen” and “Angel Has Fallen,” which also starred Butler as U.S. Secret Service agent Mike Banning.

Read original story Gerard Butler Sues Studios for $10 Million Over ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Payments At TheWrap