Home / Arts and Entertainment / Obsession Producer Sues for Profit Share
Obsession Producer Sues for Profit Share
1 Sep
Summary
- Producer claims she was cut out of profits from hit film Obsession.
- Lawsuit alleges a broken agreement for equal partnership and profit share.
- Darby's creative contributions were vital to the film's success.
Executive producer Leonora Ann Darby has filed a lawsuit against James Harris and Mark Lane, co-founders of Tea Shop Productions, alleging they excluded her from her promised share of profits from the successful film "Obsession." Darby claims a 2024 agreement to treat her as an equal producer with a one-third net profit share was breached once the film became a major success.
Darby joined Tea Shop Productions in 2019 and rose to become a key producer. The lawsuit details her significant contributions to "Obsession," including restoring the director's edit and implementing creative notes that strengthened the film's narrative and supernatural elements. Her involvement was critical in finalizing the film for its sale at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Despite these contributions and the film's impressive box office performance, exceeding $500 million on a modest budget, Darby alleges Harris and Lane have excluded her from public acknowledgment and financial benefits. Initial offers of settlement and subsequent proposed consulting agreements were allegedly structured to negate her claim to net profits.
