Richard Gere claims he is the victim of extortion over a new movie.
The 68-year-old actor had been working with producing partners Random Acts Entertainment, owned by Scott and Anna Elias, to adapt Bones of the Master: A Buddhist Monk’s Search for the Lost Heart of China’ for the big screen but he claims that after creative differences between them, they have tried to extort him for half a million dollars.
In a complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Gere explained he was approached in 2009 about acting in, directing and producing the film adaptation.
While it was agreed that Anna would write one or more drafts of the screenplay, Gere refused to go ahead because the script produced was "woefully inadequate"
He also claims he paid $35,000 for his share of the rights in 2015 but hasn’t been reimbursed for the other half and believes that the pair should have no rights to the project.
Gere is suing for breach of contract and wants it ruled that the pair have no rights to the project.
His attorney Jeremiah Reynolds said: "In order for Mr. Gere to commit to the Project as the star and director, Mr. Gere required that the screenplay be completed and approved. This approval right has been consistently applied to virtually all films in which Mr. Gere has starred.
"Despite Mr. Gere’s efforts to make the Project a success, Defendants, who are evidently desperate for money, have recently attempted to extort Mr. Gere into paying them the sum of $500,000 to ‘buyout’ their interest in the Project, despite their breaches and lack of investment."
Richard Gere’s extortion claim
