‘IT: Chapter Two’ producer sued for alleged “fraud and deceit”

IT: Chapter Two will make its huge theatrical debut next weekend, but one of the film’s producers has found himself in legal trouble with a former associate. 

Roy Lee is being sued by John Powers Middleton for alleged “fraud and deceit”. Middleton filed a complaint accusing Lee of breaking his contract, committing fraud and unfair competition and unjust enrichment. 

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Middleton is seeking millions after he claims Lee caused him to lose millions after he took advantage of their contract. Middleton claims he had a deal with the filmmaker from 2010 to 2016 where he would pray for half of the overhead expenses on Lee’s project in exchange for a 20 percent cut and a credit as executive producer. 

When the pair later renegotiated their deal, Lee demanded $1 million in overhead a year from Middleton and threatened to take his name of the projects he had previously promised him credit for. He also says Lee took advantage of more than $7 million in benefits such as using Middleton’s real estate properties, vehicles and other luxuries such as tickets to athletic events. 

Middleton terminated his relationship in 2017 with the producer after he was taken off as executive producer on The Lego Movie 2: The Second Park and The Stand as well as a Minecraft adaptation currently in the works. 

Middleton alleges he paid for all of Lee’s projects with Warner Bros, including It Chapter Two, Poltergeist and more than 30 other films. 

Lee has yet to comment on the suit against him. 

Recently, the film that is based on a Stephen King novel dropped a new teaser for the film with a whole lot of bloody and Pennywise

“But sometimes, what we try to leave in the past won’t stay there,” the voice says in the teaser, obviously referring to Pennywise tormenting the Losers’ Club more than two-decades after the first film. 

We’ve known for awhile that the film is going to be gory. It apparently has a scene that contains the “most blood that’s been in a horror scene.” We know it probably involves Jessica Chastain since she was the one who teased it, so it seems like this teaser might give us another glimpse at that. 

It: Chapter Two hits theaters on September 6. Check out the new teaser below as well as the final full-length trailer. 

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It: Chapter Two director Andy Muschietti recently revealed that Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro almost had a cameo.

In a recent interview, Muschietti revealed that he wanted the director to be one of the many cameos in the sequel.

“I wanted Guillermo in the movie,” he said. “We were this close. He was going to play the janitor that Ben runs into when he’s running away from Pennywise. That scene, of course, would have been like five minutes longer if Guillermo was in it.”

It’s unclear why it wasn’t able to happen, but the cameo would have been amazing.

In other news, the film just had its premiere with nearly the full cast present.

One of the most exciting parts about the upcoming film is that it takes place 27 years after the original, which means it will feature both adult and the original versions of the Losers’ Club.

The adult cast includes Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh, James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough and Bill Hader as Richie Tozier. Additionally, James Ransone will appear as Eddie Kaspbrak, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom, Andy Bean as Stan Uris and Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon.

That cast, along with the beloved kids club, got together at the premiere on Monday, minus McAvoy. It was the ultimate photo op we needed. 

The official movie account shared the iconic photo, as well as individual group shots of the adults and losers. Also, they threw in a photo of Bill Skarsgard in front of a truly devious Pennywise photo. You can see the full post below. 

 

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Because we can’t get enough of our Losers…#ITMovie

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