Gregg Allman is suing the “Midnight Rider” producers to stop production on the film after the death of crewmember Sarah Jones, TheWrap has learned.
Allman claims in the lawsuit, obtained by TheWrap, that the option to his life rights had expired before producers decided last month to resume production.
Also read: ‘Midnight Rider’ Production Shutting Down in Wake of Fatal Train Accident
In the lawsuit, Allman claims principal photography on “Midnight Rider” needed to have commenced by Feb. 28, according to an amended option agreement he and the producing team signed. But the production was halted on Feb. 20 when crewmember Jones, 27, was killed by a train during pre-production filming.
After that fatal incident, producers publicly announced they would suspend work on the film indefinitely.
On March 5, the lawsuit says, Allman notified the producers that their option to make the movie based on his life story had expired. But a producer with Unclaimed Freight Productions, one of the companies named in the suit, apparently posted a message to the trade workers union IATSE website on April 16 saying production would move to Los Angeles from Georgia and resume by early June.
Also read: Crew Member on Greg Allman Biopic ‘Midnight Rider’ Killed During Train Mishap
“Defendants have unambiguously expressed their firm intentions to proceed with production of the motion picture under the Formal Option Agreement, as amended, by the beginning of June,” the complaint reads.
Allman made a public plea for Unclaimed Freight and Film Allman LLC not to finish the film on April 25, two days after “Midnight Rider” star William Hurt withdrew from the production.
Now, this lawsuit aims to force “Midnight Rider” to shut down, as the biopic cannot proceed without the rights to tell the singer’s life story.
Pamela Chelin and Tony Maglio contributed to this report.