AMC has fired back against the lawsuit filed by former “The Walking Dead” showrunner Frank Darabont, saying that the suit is “baseless.”
In a response to Darabont’s lawsuit, which was filed in court on Thursday, AMC denied the vast majority of the case’s points.
“Defendants deny that Plaintiffs are entitled to any relief, whether monetary, compensatory, declarative, equitable, costs, and/or fees relating to this matter, or in any other form sought by Plaintiffs,” AMC’s response reads, adding that the complaint should be dismissed.
Also read: ‘Walking Dead’ Ex-Showrunner Frank Darabont Sues AMC
“AMC Networks has filed its initial response to the Darabont lawsuit,” the network said in a statement. “We look forward to demonstrating through the legal process that this is a baseless lawsuit built on claims that have no merit.”
Darabont, who exited the series in 2011, filed suit with his representatives, Creative Artists Agency, in December 2013. The suit claims that Darabont had been wrongfully terminated from the show, and that he is owed proceeds from the popular zombie series.
See video: NYC ‘Deeply Troubled’ by ‘Walking Dead’ Prank
He also accused the network of “self-dealing” by both producing and airing the series, and striking a deal by which the network essentially sells the show to itself.
“One AMC affiliate produces ‘The Walking Dead’ and then licenses the show for an artificially low fee to another AMC affiliate that televises the show to the public,” the lawsuit reads. “The sole goal of this sham transaction is to enhance the profits of the parent company by minimizing the revenues that go into the ‘pool’ of funds for the show’s profit participants.”
Darabont’s suit claims that he and CAA are owed “tens of millions of dollars” from the series.