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The writer of Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" claims Mel and his people are playing a shell game with him, trying to avoid paying him his just due on the movie.
Benedict Fitzgerald had sued Mel and others, claiming he was lied to when they said the movie would carry a $4-7 million production budget. Fitzgerald says he accepted a low fee after being told the budget was so low.
But during the case, Mel and his peeps produced accounting records, and the true budget was millions more. In fact, Mel's own calculations put the budget at around $30 million.
But Fitzgerald thinks the amount is even higher, and he's now asking the judge to force a more thorough accounting.
Fitzgerald wants what he considers a fair writer's fee based on the true cost of the movie.
Watch out Robyn -- it's half your money, too.
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Reader Comments
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It seems funny that the writer is sueing Mel now. AFTER, the film makes all that money. If it had been a flop, do you think he would have bothered? I think not. Besides that, he agreeded to write it for a certain amount. period!!
DE
Doesn't surprise me....he's SCREWED a lot of people....Whoredog....I hope your kids read this....so they KNOW about their Father...and I don't mean GOD..
SHOW ME DA MONEY!
Mel's an honorable man. Must hear his side of the story.
I REALLY LIKE MEL, NOT ONLY HE'S A BRILLIANT ACTOR HE'S A GOOD MAN AS WELL, A GREAT HUMANITRIAN, MY BEST WISHES TO HIM I LOVE YOU MEL AND MAY GOD BE WITH YOU AS ALWAYS AND HATERS SHOULD SHUT THE F***K UP.
TMZ forgot to throw in the story of his drunken rant like every other time they do a story on Mel......
You have to remember, there is production cost, casting costs, post production, and various other fees that must be payed out. Production Costs may very well have been 7 - 10 million and everything else was probably eaten up in post production. You know after you stop filming and such since that is the short, simple, and cheap part to a movie. The editing, musical scores, etc is what takes time and money to do (also paying your actors). I hope the dude actually reads his contract with Mr. Gibson because he very well may be screwed legally on this.
I'm already sick of the Mel Gibson soap opera. He is a religious goon much like the jews he ranted about when he got his drunk driving arrest. I can only imagine what it is like to live with this authoritarian conservative. Oppressive and boring come to mind. I used to want to give this guy head. I think it was his eyes, but now he's just ugly, inside and out!
So, let me get this straight. A writer comes up with a $5-$7mil script. The producers and directors then enhance it and add $23mil more in value, and the writer thinks he should get a piece of that action?
What's wrong with this picture? Did the writer suddenly do 6 times the amount of his original work? Did he suddenly put in 60 hours a day instead of 10? (as if that were even possible)
24. Harvey You have Balls making fun of an ILL man and a nice woman! I noticed on JVM last evening you had some work done! You finally filled in the whole on the right side of your mouth! OR was THAT wood painted white or cheap cotton balls! Guess Jane was ashamed to have her ex boss look so horrible, so she stuffed the wholes of his missing teeth with cotton!!!! Saving that money for a rainy day......heard BFF needs atty fee $$$$......he will repay you when he gets those hundreds of millions from hs 1 client wonder! LMFAO!
Posted at 6:58AM on Apr 15th 2009 by false teeth
Mel Gibson for many years was one of my favorites. I never missed a movie of his. However that changed at the snap of a finger when I learned of his bigoted jewish remarks and drunk antics. "Passion" was offensive to me and exposed his psychotic dark side. He is a mentally sick man and whatever happens to him he has earned. I will never see another movie that is related in anyway to his name.
