Another day, another Michael Jackson lawsuit.Remember that Thriller musical we told you about yesterday? Seems Michael Jackson already has a sequel in the works.
This one will be playing out not on Broadway, however, but in a Los Angeles courtroom.
John Landis - the genius behind the Thriller music video - is suing for the 50% of the profits owed to him over the past 4 years.
John Landis, the filmmaker whose credits include Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Trading Places, is suing over another of his best known hits—Jackson's "Thriller" video. Landis says Jackson owes him big bucks in royalties for the classic 14-minute clip.
Back in 1983, Landis' people entered into a contract with Jackson's people, granting Landis 50% of profits earned from the video. And yes, that includes Broadway adaptations.
Per the complaint, filed in L.A. Superior Court last week and obtained by E! News, the 58-year-old filmmaker accuses the 50-year-old Moonwalker of "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct" for failing to fork over a check.
The suit doesn't specify the exact amount Landis is owed but it's thought to be around $1 million. In any case, the legal action comes at a fortuitous time considering Jackson just sold the rights to the "Thriller" video to theatrical wizards Nederlander Organization to stage a Broadway musical based on the horror spoof.
Jackson's rep, Dr. Tohme Tohme, was not immediately available for comment.
Speaking to the entertainment site The Wrap, Landis attorney Martin Feldman said the lawsuit was a last resort.
"I can't understand what they are doing to John Landis' company. It is such a straight ahead thing," he said. "It makes no sense at all to me."
Landis says that Jackson - or whoever is running his troubled finances - has failed to "provide any accounting of the Thriller profits for the past four years 'and earlier', and failing to pay Landis his 50 percent cut of the net proceeds."
But, the most troubling aspect of the case, however, is that there doesn't seem to be anyone in charge of the crumbling King of Pop's Financial Kingdom, except for a "mysterious Los Angeles physician" named Tohme Tohme.
As if the life of Michael Jackson ever made sense to any of us.
