The Walking Dead creator Frank Darabont is suing AMC over profits, along with his agents, saying the network owes them "tens of millions of dollars."
Darabont filed a lawsuit on Tuesday claiming that the show's creator is owed millions of dollars from a licensing deal that AMC made, which breaches his contract, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Dale Kinsella, Darabont's lawyer, said, "AMC's conduct toward Frank to date has been nothing short of atrocious. Unfortunately, the fans of The Walking Dead have suffered as well by being deprived of his creative talent."
Darabont, who was fired July 2011, was supposed to be involved in profit participation with AMC, and the suit alleges that though AMC claims to be operating at a loss on the show, it made a low licensing deal with its production arm, which is "clearly designed to ensure that [Darabont and CAA] never see that first dollar."
Deadline reports that the issue is called "self dealing," which is a sneaky tactic by studios to often reduce talent compensation. AMC had made a deal with Darabont to have the studio hire another company to produce the series, but then decided to do it itself, which Darabont's contract allegedly is supposed to be protected from.
His lawsuit also alleges wrongful termination since Darabont was fired shortly after his contract was altered to make him a continued part of the show.
image: AMC