The Unusual Lawsuit Surrounding Kevin Costner’s 2008 Election Comedy

In a surprising turn of events, a lawsuit has emerged from Kevin Costner’s overlooked 2008 election comedy, “Swing Vote”. The lawsuit is unusual as it involves a film that was not a box office hit and was released over a decade ago.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit was filed by the film’s co-writer, Leonard Cohen, who claims that he was not paid the agreed-upon 10% of the net profits from the film. Cohen alleges that he has not received any profit participation statements or payments from the film’s distributor, Disney, since 2010.

The Film’s Performance

“Swing Vote” was not a commercial success, grossing only $16.3 million domestically against a production budget of $21 million. Despite its lackluster performance, Cohen argues that the film has generated substantial revenue from secondary markets, such as home video and international sales, which he is entitled to a share of.

Disney’s Response

Disney has responded to the lawsuit by stating that Cohen’s claims are without merit. The company argues that “Swing Vote” did not turn a profit and therefore Cohen is not entitled to any additional payments.

• Key Points:
• The lawsuit was filed by Leonard Cohen, co-writer of “Swing Vote”.
• Cohen claims he has not received his agreed-upon share of the film’s net profits.
• Disney argues that the film did not turn a profit, therefore Cohen is not entitled to any additional payments.

Summary

In conclusion, the lawsuit surrounding Kevin Costner’s 2008 election comedy, “Swing Vote”, is an unusual case involving a film that was not a commercial success. The film’s co-writer, Leonard Cohen, is suing Disney for a share of the film’s net profits, which he claims he has not received. Disney, however, argues that the film did not turn a profit and therefore Cohen is not entitled to any additional payments. The outcome of this lawsuit could have implications for how profit participation agreements are handled in the film industry.