Home / Arts and Entertainment / Nine-Year Lawsuit Ends: $120M for Walking Dead Team
Nine-Year Lawsuit Ends: $120M for Walking Dead Team
8 Sep
Summary
- Five producers secured a $120 million settlement from AMC Networks.
- The settlement resolves a nine-year legal battle over unpaid profits.
- A federal trial was averted, with payments scheduled through January 2027.
Five producers of "The Walking Dead" franchise have reached a $120 million settlement with AMC Networks, concluding a nine-year legal dispute over alleged unpaid profits. The agreement, finalized on Friday, will see AMC pay $85 million this month and an additional $35 million by January 31, 2027. This settlement averts a federal trial that was slated to commence in October.
The producers, including Robert Kirkman and Gale Anne Hurd, initially sued in 2017, asserting that AMC manipulated profit calculations to their disadvantage, despite the franchise generating billions. While a 2022 ruling initially favored AMC, a subsequent development involving a prior $200 million settlement with show creator Frank Darabont and CAA enabled the producers to pursue their claims further based on a "most favored nation" clause.
AMC had contested the producers' lawsuit, arguing it was an attempt to extract more money after they had already received substantial payments. However, a significant victory for the producers in 2024, when a federal judge refused to dismiss their complaint, paved the way for the recent settlement. The resolution allows all parties to "look forward to sharing in the continued success of the franchise."
