‘Dumb and Dumber To’ Lawsuit Sparks Poison-Penned Counterclaim

Claim from original "Dumb and Dumber" producers alleges that sequel producers are untrustworthy and unqualified

The legal argument over the upcoming sequel to "Dumb and Dumber" is getting nasty and nastier.

Steve Stabler and Brad Krevoy, who produced the 1994 film "Dumb and Dumber" but are being sued to be kept away from the upcoming sequel "Dumb and Dumber To," have now filed their own cross-complaint calling the sequel's producers, Red Granite Pictures' Riza Shahriz Bin Abdul Aziz and Joey McFarland, untrustworthy and unqualified.

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The suit claims that Red Granite has established a pattern of using Shahriz Bin Abdul Aziz's family money "to buy motion picture franchises from the studios that develop them and purporting to assume the studios' obligations relating to the franchises, but then reneging on contractual obligations to the key talent."

In this case, the cross-complaint alleges, they are trying to "squeeze out the plaintiffs" from the "Dumb and Dumber" sequel.

Alleging that the duo pulled a fast one with the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio film "The Wolf of Wall Street," Stabler and Krevoy's complaint warns that McFarland and Aziz's "misconduct and hubris will cause Red Granite to crash and burn."

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The cross-complaint also suggests that the duo are more interested in Hollywood night life — and Paris Hilton — than producing movies. "McFarland's and Shahriz Bin Abdul Aziz's experience producing motion pictures during their short tenure in the industry consists of cavorting at nightclubs with Paris Hilton and making dinner reservations at posh nightclubs in New York and Los Angeles," it alleges.

Oh to the snap.

Red Granite, which took on the "Dumb and Dumber" sequel with Universal Pictures after it was put into turnaround at Warner Bros. and New Line, sued Stabler and Krevoy earlier this month, claiming that the pair had threatened legal action if they're not given producers' fees ad a credit on the sequel. (Apparently it wasn't an idle threat.)

Red Granite claims that Stabler and Krevoy's agreement with New Line does not give them rights to the sequel. The original complaint also says that the pair wasn't enlisted for the project, which like the 1994 original will star Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

"No agreement of any kind exists between Red Granite, on the one hand, and either Krevoy or Stabler, on the other hand, in connection with 'Dumb and Dumber To,' nor has Krevoy or Stabler furnished any pre-production, producing or any other services to Red Granite in connection with 'Dumb and Dumber To,'" the suit states.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
 

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