Martin Scorsese’s legendary career comprises a series of masterful projects to his name. Not just as a director, his involvement as a producer often ensures the quality of a movie or show that must line up with his reputation. After his highly acclaimed Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese found himself in a lawsuit.
A lawsuit by screenwriter Simon Afram who wrote a script called Operation: Fortitude in the backdrop of World War II accused the director of pocketing $500,000 as he has allegedly done nothing for the project after being hired as executive producer.
Martin Scorsese Settles A Lawsuit After Facing A Serious Accusation
After writing Operation: Fortitude, Simon Afram teamed up with producer Edward Kahl, and they hired Martin Scorsese in 2022 to serve as an executive producer. For context, an executive producer is the ultimate boss of a film who oversees the financial aspects, from raising money to several other things, including the timely completion of the project.
Back to the lawsuit, they hoped that Scorsese’s name attached to the movie would do wonders, while he would book industry’s prominent directors and cast for the film, expecting the beginning of production in Europe later that year.
However, per the lawsuit, Scorsese did nothing for the project and was unable to contact the director. “Defendants never made Mr. Scorsese available for a single phone call, meeting, or other interaction,” the lawsuit alleges (per Variety). They have also asked for their money back, as Scorsese was unavailable to them. Scorsese’s attorneys filed a cross-complaint.
“This case presents the classic example of the novice filmmaker who refuses to appreciate the stark difference between expectation and reality in the filmmaking business, to the detriment of all involved,” Marty Singer-led attorneys wrote in the complaint.
In Scorsese’s defense, the lawyers argued that he had knocked doors of several prominent directors for the project, but no one was interested in the project. After a year of legal battle, Afram has reportedly settled the case.
Fans Came For Martin Scorsese’s Aid
Before the settlement, Scorsese’s lawyers argued that the plaintiffs failed to understand the development process of a project might take a very long time as they referred to the director’s 2019 masterpiece The Irishman, which took 12 years to finally come to fruition.
“The expectation of those new to the film industry is that a great idea or script will instantly be transformed into an Academy Award-winning work of art, when the reality is that it can take many years to even attempt to develop a movie,” they wrote in their cross-complaint.
Supporting that, fans of the legendary director assembled on X coming to his support.
Isn't that all EPs do?
— 'Dirty' Drew Sherrick 🍉 (@DefiledDungaree) March 22, 2024
That’s one hell of an expensive way to learn what an executive producer does 🤣
Anyway, people ‘hire’ Scorsese as an exec producer as a marketing stunt. $500k well spent if the project ever saw the light of day
— Bender’s Big Score (tick) (@BendersBigScore) March 22, 2024
Isn’t that what producers are supposed to do ?? 😭😭
— Joshyblogz (@TwittarJack) March 22, 2024
King
— Nootbaar Supreme (@Climbin67) March 22, 2024
I always thought EPs like that were just credited as a draw. Did this dude really think he was going to get a mentor out of it lmao
— Wrex Weed (@wrexweed) March 22, 2024
500k is pocket change 4 him
— AEROPLANE (@0AEROPLANE0) March 22, 2024
You paid to have his name in the credits of your trailer/film. What other work did you expect him to do lol
— genocide hoe biden (@thotsnprayersss) March 22, 2024
Half a million dollars is a huge sum, but the cinematic process is quite painful as well. Many scripts go into the bin while many films get canceled after development. Fans argue that it is the normal process in Hollywood as every project can’t get attention.
