Gerard Butler has reached a resolution in his legal battle over accusations that he is owed a minimum of $10 million in profits from the 2013 blockbuster film, “Olympus Has Fallen.”
Defendants Nu Image and Millennium Media informed the court of a settlement on Tuesday, with the agreement depending on the completion of specific terms within 45 days. However, the details of the settlement remain undisclosed.
Butler, along with his production company G-Base Entertainment, sued in 2021 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that certain producers have earned tens of millions of dollars from the film but have refused to pay him his rightful share of the profits. He claimed that there was a deliberate and extensive scheme to manipulate and misrepresent the financial aspects of the movie.
In his contract to star in and produce the film, Butler is entitled to box office bonuses, six percent of domestic revenue, two percent of foreign revenue, and ten percent of net profits.
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According to the complaint, an audit revealed that Nu Image and Millennium Media had understated their receipts and profits from “Olympus Has Fallen” by over $11 million. Additionally, approximately $8 million in payments to senior executives had not been reported. The lawsuit also alleged that the domestic revenue was understated by over $17.5 million and that residuals were deducted but never paid, potentially impacting the crew’s eligibility for healthcare.
Butler argued that the distribution agreements were fraudulently structured to avoid reporting all gross receipts. The complaint stated that the producers instructed distributors to deduct certain amounts from the reported grosses, which were not included in the financial information provided to Butler.
The alleged scheme included entering into agreements that undermined the producers’ ability to accurately account for and pay Butler. The producers then failed to ensure that certain third-party distributors accounted for and paid Butler directly, allowing the producers to manipulate and control how they reported the film’s proceeds to Butler.
Butler also mentioned a legal dispute between the producers and the Directors Guild of America, as the failure to report profits threatened the healthcare eligibility of the film’s director and assistant directors.
The complaint included claims of fraud, breach of contract, intentional interference with contractual relations, and other allegations. The defendants argued that Butler could only pursue a breach of contract claim without false representations to support a fraud claim. A trial had been scheduled for January 2024.
“Olympus Has Fallen,” which spawned two sequels, has grossed over $170 million worldwide. The producers had represented to Butler that the film generated less than $100,000 in domestic revenue and less than $320,000 in foreign revenue from 2019 to 2021.
There has been no immediate response from Millennium Media or their legal representatives regarding the settlement.
This resolution brings an end to the legal battle that Butler has been fighting for his rightful share of the profits from “Olympus Has Fallen.” While the specifics of the settlement remain unknown, it is likely that Butler will be compensated for the financial discrepancies and alleged wrongdoing by the defendants. The outcome of this case serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and fairness in the entertainment industry, emphasizing the need to protect the rights of actors and producers in profit-sharing agreements.
