Terminator Lawsuit

While most of the people see only one side of the movies there is actually lot of that can be found if you look deeper. A recent lawsuit revolved around the popular Terminator franchise. Terminator two was the movie that became Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most successful role up to date and gave him immense popularity that finally helped him to become the governor of California. Also this move launched a huge and profitable franchise. The gross revenues of the four terminator movies right now are over $1.600 million dollars. The last movie Terminator Salvation which had hit the cinemas on 21 of May in the United States and in the beginning of June worldwide already covered its $200 million dollar budget in the first weeks and now the studio is planning two more sequels. Of course it is not the most economically successful franchise today, but the cult following of the earlier movies and the huge interest for the last movie - Terminator Salvation, shows that it can still bring profit.

In March 2009 Moritz Borman, one of the film's producers, has sued two other producers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek and their company Halcyon Co. for alleging fraud, breach of contract and refusal in payment of producing fees. Borman was the one who had arranged the transfer of the Terminator Franchise rights from previous producers Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna to Anderson and Kubicek, for an undisclosed sum as that company was closing down in May 2007. Borman also helped to secure initial financing for the fourth Terminator Movie, through investment fund Pacificor. His deal on that case called for approval rights on the picture and all creative decisions, with the additional $5 million producing fee and a significant backend compensation. In July 2008 Anderson and Kubicek basically took over the production as principal photography was being completed and refused to pay Borman his $2.5 million balance of his producing fee. After it came to light that Anderson and Kubicek did not have the means to finance the picture as a result Borman defaulted on numerous loans and owed over $1 million to creditors on the picture. The filled suit listed eight causes of action and seek more than $160 million in damages. Borman also stated that he was unaware of the pair's "shady" background and that the duo was already sued previously for tricking other motion picture investors. The two shady producers of the fourth Terminator gave no comments at first, but after a small period of time went into negotiation with Moritz Borman and one month later the lawsuit was dismissed and case was settled with an "amicable" resolution between the sides. The producers stated that everything was made clear and they continued the work on then upcoming Terminator Salvation. After the lawsuit surrounding Salvation was settled, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the main financing company, has also gained a 30-day right of first refusal (a contractual right that gives its holder the option to enter a business transaction with the owner of something, according to specified terms, before the owner is entitled to enter into that transaction with a third party) to finance and distribute the fifth film. So basically this case had huge influence on the whole franchise.