I don’t think I’ve ever seen a case in entertainment where both sides have acted with such stupidity. Ok, here’s the background as I understand it:
– Peter Jackson didn’t think New Line was being above board with their accounting on DVD sales for the first Lord of the Rings movie.
– Jackson demanded to see the confidential proprietary books of New Line
– New Line refuses turn over private books and asks Jackson to sit down with them to talk about the problem and try to resolve it
– Jackson proceeds to act like Jackass. “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Peter Jackson. I do things how I want, and if you don’t bow to my will we’ll go straight to court. I’m too important to sit down and try to resolve the problem any other way first before resorting to that.”
– New Line proceeds to act like Jackasses. “How dare you speak to us, the all powerful New Line, that way! Even though it could solve things, we are going to dig in our heals and refuse to budge on this because… well… just because damnit! For we are New Line.”
– Jackson: “Give me the books. Grrrrr”
– New Line: “Sit down and talk first. Grrrrr” (proceeds to pound chest)
– Jackson: “Oh yeah? I’m going to write ludicrous, bordering on dishonest open sob letters to my completely biased fans and talk about how mean you’re being to me”
– New Line: “Oh yeah, well we’re going to put out totally distorted statements about what an ungrateful pig you are, just a millionaire trying to get more millions… and just for good measure… we’re kicking you off The Hobbit”
– Jackson: “You can’t fire me from The Hobbit! I QUIT!”
– New Line: “Grrrr”
– Jackson: “Grrrr”
On and on and on it’s gone now forever. This thing could have been resolved ages ago if Jackson just agreed to sit down and negotiate with New Line… or if New Line just agreed to turn over the books. But both have been stubborn to the point where it doesn’t even matter who was right anymore.
THAT BEING SAID….
New Line has taken it to a new level. In the ongoing court case, the Judge ordered that New Line submit to the court certain documents. I worked in law for a few years… so let me explain… when a Judge tells you to do something… YOU BLOODY WELL DO IT. Well… New Line decided they were too important to listen to a nobody like a Judge. The folks at Yahoo News give us this:
A ticked-off federal judge in Los Angeles has ordered the studio to pony up a $125,000 penalty for failing to turn over documents related to the case, in which Jackson claims the studio used creative accounting to cheat him out of millions in royalties from the first chapter in his big-screen trilogy, 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
In his Sept. 18 ruling, U.S. Magistrate Steven Hillman said New Line not only failed to comply with his previous court orders to produce the paperwork and emails, but he suggests that New Line “haphazardly” searched for the requested documents and may have destroyed potential evidence.
To say this looks sort of suspicious is like saying Paris Hilton is sort of useless. Let me be totally clear here: I do not like how Peter Jackson has handled himself for the duration of this whole thing… at all. That was never contingent on who I thought was “right” and who I thought was “wrong” in this case. There is a proper process for doing things, a proper way to do things…. Jackson in all his self importance snubbed his nose at all of that and acted poorly in the process…. BUT HAVING SAID THAT….
It sure does look like New Line has indeed been the bigger Jackass of the two now doesn’t it?
I am a big fan of Peter Jackson’s work (I recently called Return of the King the best all round movie ever made), and while I’m totally fine with someone else directing the Hobbit (it could be as good or even better than Rings), I still would RATHER see Jackson back for it. Let’s just hope sanity and cooler heads prevail here soon, that they get this ugly matter behind them… and all parties just get back to the business of making movies… preferably The Hobbit… preferably together. Just my two cents worth.
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
I remember that coming out in one of the early reports about this whole matter. thats part of what james cameron was talking about. it is a very standard procedure and he thought it was weird that new line would stop it.
have i read jackson contract? of course not but do you seriously believe in this day and age jackson or jacksons agent would have accepted a contract that was offering profit participation without there being any provision for jackson to be able audit the books and check they were keeping everythig above board?
who in their right mind would accept points in a deal but not have anything in there to make sure they could check it?
even my friends tiny little band have the right to audit their record label … it si a standard term in most modern day entertainment contracts and onyl an idiot wouldn;lt protect themselves without having and audit clause.
it goes both ways as well…I am sure new line have a audit clause on jackson production team and weta.
it is an industry standard.
Pre-Rings and during-Ring Peter Jackson has always been a class act in terms of honesty and dignity. Yes success can change folks, but I don’t think that is the case here, particularly when you ask to do an audit and the company repeatedly says no…hmmm, not surprisingly one would get suspicious.
Never agreed with the bizarre stance you’ve always taken on this John…when you rant on about the Peter Jackson fanboys swallowing anything, Methinks Thou Dost Protest Too much, you’ve swung so far the other way that something as blatant as your above post (and Kudos for that, there were several other movements in this case that were not covered here) still has you only grudgingly seeing things from the other side.
Ahh well. Just opinion like everything else.
Alfie,
Who told you the right to audit was in his contract? Where did you hear this?
actually john it has already come out that jackson had the right to audit in his contract.
as do most directors. so they were not entirely confidential records and private papers.jackson is well within his rights.
jackson contractually had the right to have the audit done.
new line allowed a partial audit to be done on dvd sales of fellowship the ring. the accountants found some irregularities and then requested a full audit to which new line pretty much said go fuck yourself.
you say jackson wasn’t prepared to talk to them….whats to talk about?
jackson even said he was happy for a completely non bias third party to handle the audit and new line still refused.
so how did he refuse to come to the party?
this all could have been avoided if new line were not acting so shady.i would like to see how you acted towards people you trusted who you think may have fucked you out of millions john.
For the love of God John how many things will newline have to blantantly do wrong before you say. hey mabey i dont know the whole story and peter did try to do it through the right way and new line tried to F*ck with him the Way thier F*cking with a federal judge?
and this can not be said enough
WHEN IS YOUR MONEY YOU DONT ACT RATIONALLY
is like if you find out your girlfriend is cheating on you.
Someone on the outside can easly tell you to be calm and its not that big a deal but when its you in that postion its a whole differnt story
Hey Alfie, You’re dead wrong when you say:
“the whole point of this and what the judge just ruled is that were not private or confidential and that jackson had every right to have them audited. its a very standard thing to have done.”
They are private and confidential and New Line had every legal right to refuse to let Jackson have them. That’s exactly why it took a judges order. It was not illegal for New Line to refuse an audit at all. But in civil action a judge can order you to produce things that are otherwise private.
For example, if I ask you for copies of your medical history, you have every right to say “NO”. BUT, if we get into a legal argument (over something where your medical history might be relevant) a Judge can order you to produce those documents. After you produce them, and Judge may or may not allow them to be used, but that is their discretion.
New Line is under NO obligation to produce its books to anyone it doesn’t choose to produce them to. Period.
I’m not going to debate with you about your flawed opinion of Jackson’s conduct since we’re just repeating ourselves from ages old debates ;) But on this legal question, you’re quite wrong.
and re-reading you post john it looks like you still don’t get it.
you call them confidential propriety book and private books?
the whole point of this and what the judge just ruled is that were not private or confidential and that jackson had every right to have them audited. its a very standard thing to have done.
it was never a case of “don’t you know who i am”. that had nothing to do with it.
it was more a case of “why are you borderline breaking the law and what are you hiding”
explain exactly how he acted like a douche chewbuba?? please without making things up like saying that he said “don’t you know who I am” when he didn’t say anything like that at all?
please…what made him a douche exactly? the fact that he is fucked off that it looks like the people to whom he delivered their most successful films ever have more than likely ripped him off??
and please use better than arguments then calling someone a blind fanboy because the facts have been ppretty clear from the get go.
jacksons team did a partial audit. they noticed some irregularities in new lines accounting so they requested a full audit which is well within their rights as this judge has just shown. new line said no and (illegally) refused to let jacksons team audit.
then jackson came out and said he was more than happy for an third party independant team to handle the audit and that he would gladly accept whatever they find. new line again said no.
exactly what was so bad with what jackson did? i just don’t see where he acted like a douche?
I can’t believe how many internet fanboys so blindly worship Jackson as if his shit doesn’t stink. The dude has acted like a douche. Looks like New Line is trying to cover shit up for sure, but that don’t change the fact that Jackson acted like a douche.
I agree with Rafael. I really wish they would settle this issue privately. It just makes me feel despondent thinking that all of this rancor could get in the way of them making a brilliant Hobbit film.
However I’m quite sure that this wouldn’t be the first time a studio is caught acting suspiciously or being dishonest.
Great. Tell me AFTER I trade in my Lord of the Rings box set.
Hey Red Steven,
Those aren’t actual quotes. Peter Jackson never actually said that.
Campea’s just letting you know how he thinks things went down given the information that he has.
The quotation marks shouldnt be taken literally.
The “grrr”‘s should have been your first clue that they weren’t actual quotes.
No matter what the case, whether Jackson is arrogant or New Line is another in a long line of greed driven studios who look at numbers over fairness, the fact remains that hiding some so-called “books”, or documentation that would exonerate them is HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS. If I owed someone money for monies made and didn’t want them to know, of course I would not show them those papers. BUT, if I knew I didn’t owe them money and I had those papers to prove it, I would show them. FUCK NEW LINE ANYWAY. CORPORATIONS KILLED KENNEDY, So I don’t think they will help Jackson get some bills. Kudos to the judge in this case. Yea I am just rambling.
Here’s an article with Cameron talking about the whole thing:
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/02/14/james-cameron-weighs-in-on-peter-jackson-vs-new-line/
I never understood your beef with Jackson in this dispute, but after reading those quotes you posted I’ve finally seen the light.
“Don’t you know who I am? I’m Peter Jackson.”
I’ll never see another movie by that pompous jerk ever again. I’m calling a boycott!
Jeez, i know it’s the ultimate stupid comment of the fanboy to say that they could do a better job of running a major Hollywood studio than the people who are actually doing it, but on days like this, i think it’s fair comment.
I didn’t work in law for years and i know that judges are the laaaaawwwwww (little Stallone there for ya) so do as you’re bloody told New Line. This all certainly gives the Jackson acolytes a little more ammo.
Look – they are a married couple. They need to settle their differences off camera and away from the public eye. This back and forth doesn’t make either one them the better person
Just realised I should have said “not to sound like a biased fanboy”.
I did read James Cameron say he thought the situation was unusual, as he always found 20th Century Fox to be very forthcoming in their transparency. Big Question is, if it goes all the way and PJ wins, would it set a precedent? Think how many people out there must have accounting disputes with studiod…
I think it’s INCREDIBLY suspicious that New Line doesn’t want the books seen. Maybe they’re concerned that if it’s found that they cheated Peter Jackson, it’ll later be found about how many other people they’ve cheated. What if he wasn’t the first?
@ Anonymous
I think you’re right about him wanting a third party to see the books, but he was still demanding the books be turned over and still refused to enter into negotiations first to try to settle it. It was basically his way or the highway.
Not to sound like an unbiased fanboy, but I think I remember reading that after Jackson asked to see New Line’s books and they said no, He asked that an independent third party review New Line’s books. It was only when New Line refused to allow that request that Jackson started the lawsuit.
Hob-bit they resolve this thing already, eh?
(Thank you, thank you, I’m here all week. Leave tips in the jar.)
In all seriousness, it sounds like New Line realized they were up shit’s creek and got rid of some incriminating documents. A boneheaded move, for sure, that will likely cost them a pretty penny.