Rian Johnson, the director for the next Disney "Star Wars" film, has been officially sued by his former agent, Brian Dreyfuss, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Cinema Blend and numerous other publications. The claim brings to light the underbelly of past business deals between Dreyfuss and Johnson and at the heart of the matter is a commission that Dreyfuss says he is owed for securing Johnson as the director for "Star Wars: Episode VIII," which has already started filming.
Disputed commission
The Hollywood Reporter reports that the commission was implied and in the Los Angeles County Superior Court a complaint has been filed for 10% of Johnson's earnings pertaining to his director job on the new "Star Wars" film.
Dreyfuss has apparently also named Ram Bergman, another producer, as a defendant in the suit and claims that Bergman did his best to marginalize Dreyfuss to cut him out of the business aspect of Johnson's career. Dreyfuss claims that he was instrumental in Johnson's career and was critical in helping him get work, including "Breaking Bad" and "Looper."
The lawsuit
Dreyfuss claims that his business dealings with Johnson go back to a 2002 agreement for 10% of any and all projects he secured for the director and writer. Drefuss further claims in his suit that Johnson had agreed that he would pay that 10% commission even if the work Johnson was doing was not procured by Dreyfuss. At the heart of the disagreement is a 2012 meeting that Dreyfuss claims he arranged with Johnson and Kathleen Kennedy.
Kennedy is the head of Lucasfilm. In 2014 Dreyfuss claims that Kathleen Kennedy made contact with him and inquired about Johnson's interest and availability for a future project with Lucasfilm. Dreyfuss alleges that Bergman was instrumental in cutting him out of Johnson's business dealings and therefore he was fired before he could reap the benefits of the "Star Wars" commission. Johnson is seeking the 10% from "Star Wars," and other unspecified projects as well as an unspecified amount of damages.
