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John Landis suing Michael Jackson?!

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terrell said:
Again, Michael is not the only rich and famous person as some fans seem to act as if he is (heck some of them have more money and employees than Michael). I am not talking about people on this board but others who are in the same financial class as Michael. Even with regrouping, you still have to oversea things. If others can do it, so can Michael.
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You also have to consider too, that every negative thing is reported about MJ. The media loves to report that he is being sued. Just because you don't hear about other rich celebrities being sued doesn't mean that they aren't.

I highly doubt he is at the bottom of the learning curve concerning financial matters.
I don't know how widely known this fact is but it has been noted that other celbrity's agents divert attention from their own clients to other celebs sometimes to keep them out of the spotlight for some reason.

There are a lot of people ot there with PHd's (plyer hating degrees) who want to make
him seem like a train wreck. So of course he's gonna mess up in ( if he did in this case) in different aspects of life, who doesn't. Big deal, this will be dealt with and he'll move on.


I have one question though: why did it take John Landis 4 years to notice he wasn't being
paid. I know he wasn't being patient. has he tried to get his royalties before the play or did he just have an "aha moment"

peace
 
landis does my head in. If it just business then why he gotta talk shit. He will get paid but damn shut yo mouth n get in line
 
so just to be clear,

John Landis' company Levitsky Productions Inc. is suing MJ over royalties not being paid for Thriller

and

John Landis is personally suing MJ and Nederlander over selling rights to Thriller that he owns to Nederlander

right.?
 
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He is suing Michael and the guy making the play becaue he says Michael does not have the proper rights. IMO he is suing because he wants in on the play
 
:blink:

:bugeyed

:(

just when ya think the lawsuits are over...
at least he didn't kick Michael when he was down.

:sigh:
 
In the second lawsuit he's suing both MJ and Nederlander:

'Thriller' director sues Michael Jackson

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY – 2 hours ago


SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Director John Landis sued Michael Jackson and a Broadway producer on Wednesday, claiming the pair lack the proper rights to adapt a stage production based on "Thriller."


Landis, who co-wrote and directed the groundbreaking music video, sued the pop star and producer James L. Nederlander's company over the possible show. Nederlander announced earlier this week that it had acquired the rights to "Thriller" and songs from Jackson's blockbuster album of the same name.


Landis' lawsuit seeks a judge's order that Jackson lacks the adequate rights to transfer to Nederlander, and that the producer doesn't have the authority to create a stage show based on the video or documentary that Landis directed.


Landis' attorney, Miles J. Feldman, said the director would seek to stop the show "if it becomes necessary."


Phone messages seeking comment from Nederlander and a New York attorney who has represented Jackson were not returned Wednesday.


Landis claims Jackson, who recently moved back to Los Angeles, was paid more than $400,000 for the rights Landis owns.


Wednesday's lawsuit came days after the "An American Werewolf in London" director sued Jackson, claiming he hadn't been paid royalties on "Thriller" for at least four years.


Landis is personally suing Jackson over the Broadway production; the suit over royalties is on behalf of his company, Levitsky Productions Inc.


The earlier suit states Landis is owed 50 percent of profits from "Thriller" projects and alleges Jackson continues to license rights to video games, toys and comic books based on the 14-minute music video and a documentary. The lawsuit also seeks an accounting of the video's profits.


"It makes no sense to me at all why they haven't provided the payments and accounting to John," Feldman said.



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTgF3BLhBJaGm5kMBAax5M4SDCCwD960HB7O0
 
I thought that the first lawsuit indicated that Michael was the one paying Landis because he had the rights to do with the video whatever he wanted. Now, he doesn't have such rights? Which is it?

If Landis had these rights or even partly, shouldn't he have been directly getting accounting of profits/royalties himself? Why would he have been waiting to receive payments from Michael for something he would have rights over, again even if partly?

Something is screwed with this second suit. As creative as Michael is, I'm sure he can hand the company an even better Broadway musical not tied to Thriller. The first lawsuit may be one thing depending upon contract, but this one does appear as if some jealousy or claws are coming out.

By the way, wasn't McMillan (sp?) suppose to be handling a lot of Michael's financial business, etc. now? I would find it strange that with all else he has done and all the other financial straightening that has been going on, that this was left to flounder. So many of the other suits and entanglements were dealt with; why wouldn't this have been? Even if there is a contract, there may be way more to this than meets the eye considering how much has been done to put Michael's finances in order with a huge reduction in lawsuits being some evidence of such. Perhaps people shouldn't be so quick to think that the contract cited is all that there is to it.
 
I don't know how you can prove that a broadway musical will be based on the video concept or will be based on the soundtrack (the rights to which has nothing to do with Landis right?)...unless it has been explicitly stated as such ( I may have missed that info).....so in that case Michael could argue that he is giving the rights to license the album 'Thriller' rather than the video.

As fort he contract with Landis regarding the missed paymenst -- i have a feeling it maybe settled out of court...but the way things are going it may go to court.


Ahh poor Michael -- it's like he's been cursed with these cases for life.
 
Nederlander announced earlier this week that it had acquired the rights to "Thriller" and songs from Jackson's blockbuster album of the same name.
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I suppose...Nederlander meant rights for both the video Thriller and album Thriller.hmmmm
 
people stop a minute and get real...

Michael signed the contract/agreement with Landis

Michael and Optimum productions were one in the same

Michael/Optimum productions would be the one who received/receives the royalty payments for the 'Thriller' video

Michael/Optimum productions or whomever he pays to handle his finances, is responsible for dispersing any royalty owed to any outside people

Michael would be the one to take legal action against
 
Like the last few cases where MJ has been hit for not paying what he owes I still hope that maybe this will be the case where he decides to get real about taking care of his business.
I also can't believe the amount of people on here who either cannot read and comprehend the reality of the facts surrounding this case or they're just hoping that slagging off at Landis or someone else will suddenly change the situation.
 
I don't think most people here think Michael doesn't owe the money, but I've never liked Landis. I percieve him to be a loser and completely immature. Calling Michael names is BS, whether he's owed money or not.
 
Victoria83 said:
This could not possibly be more clear. What do some folks still not understand? If not, read back, please? It's all there, all that can be known at this time.

This is SO discouraging. Is anyone really READING here? Not targeting any, one, person, but you guys (some of you) are firing off responses like random farts. LOL

Sigh. Michael has a contract with Landis. It doesn't matter now how the contract reads, just that Michael has been honoring it since he was 24 years old. For the last several years, he hasn't been paying Landis, or giving him statements about how much money he is owed. Landis wants his money now, whether it's a thousand bucks, or a million. This is very, very obvious.

Carry on (and I'm sure you will. . . . )

Vic
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I understand you Victoria loud and clear.... And friendship has nothing to do with it, business is business.:)
 
Oh,F*** you,john! F*** off of my baby Angel Michael! He's million times better than this people all together!
 
Michael's Thriller video is owned by MJJ Productions.Inc. And at the time MTV not Epic put the money up to finance the Thriller video because Walter Yetnikov refused to finance the video because promotion for the album was almost 1yrs old. So were have Sony gained the majority of the money generated by the Thriller video ?

I think there must have being a misunderstanding between Michael and John Landis, with Landis not receving the money he claims to be owed. I wonder what the situatution is betwen Michael and John Landis over the Black Or White video ?
 
round and round it goes, where it stops, no body knows.....

I see a pattern forming here, a never ending circle

1. Michael makes buisness deal

2. Hands over maintaince on said buisness deal to employees

3. Employees leave or are fired

4. Maintance on said buisness deal is not kept up, Michael hasnt got a clue whats happening

5. Money dosnt get paid, legal action gets taken

6. Fans blame the person taking the legal action, as oopsie Michael can do no wrong

7. Fans start a hate campagain against the person , case settled out of court

8. part 1 starts again

Until such time Michael takes care of his buisness dealings himself intead of relying on his employeees, the endless cycle of court cases will continue.

Incase you have forgotton, I was in the court in London in Novemeber, hearing testomy which wasnt reported in the media from Michael's ex employeee. Go search that report here on MJJC. You will see that Michael didnt have a clue what was happening, signing documents which he had no idea about, getting himself into all kinds of stuff, and basically living in cloud cookcoo land. This is exactly the same thing. Stop being soo nieve, Michael is amazing, talented etc, and I love him with all my heart, but some of you need to realise he is not god, he makes mistakes, and is most of the time living in his little bubble world, with no clue as to whats happening with his finances, buisness deals etc!
 
Didn't the payments stop during the trial, well Michael was in no fit state to do anything.

I'm sure Michael never meant to stop paying him.

Michael does make mistakes yes, but as i said before he trusts people who are in that field to deal with stuff like this. What do you do spend your life not trusting anyone.

Michael is one person who has a million pound empire, you can't run that by yourself
you hire people to do certain jobs. Even people who he thought were his friends have screwed him over.

I beleive that this will be sorted out soon.

I also think that Michael is sorting things out, and has got rid of alot of the yes people around him.

Just be patient everything takes time
 
This would all be crystal clear if this was happening to Michael. Someone didn't pay Mike. Yall would going crazy as if it was your money. People making every excuse to defend mike when if he signed a contract he should honor it. That's what I call honorable.

Disillusion I tell you, Disillusion!
 
For those of you who post, "Let Michael handle it," and so on. . . . as much as I would like to see this thread dwindle and vanish, this is a DISCUSSION board and it's ok to discuss this. Our discussion is in no sense preventing "Michael from handling it." Please do not tell others not to discuss this topic. It's ok, as long as everyone abides by the rules of the board. If you find the thread upsetting, there are plenty of others where you can participate wiithout dictating to others what they may or may not discuss. We have moderators who can do that.

carry on (Oh, noooooooooo)

Vic
 
moonstreet said:
I love him with all my heart, but some of you need to realise he is not god, he makes mistakes
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I think most fans are very aware of that.

billyjean1 said:
I'm sure Michael never meant to stop paying him.

Michael is one person who has a million pound empire, you can't run that by yourself you hire people to do certain jobs. Even people who he thought were his friends have screwed him over.

I beleive that this will be sorted out soon.

I also think that Michael is sorting things out, and has got rid of alot of the yes people around him.

Just be patient everything takes time
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Well said !

Let's just wait and see what happens. I'm sure Michael and John Landis will come to an amicable agreement and get the money sorted out.

Just as some fans to too quick to defend Michael, and cast people like John Landis as doing wrong. Some fans are also too quick to pass judgment on Michael's supposed lck of astuteness as a business man, and accuse him of living in a dream world. And also accuse fans of viewing Michael as a perfect and a god. Saying those type things is not rational.

The fact is none of us no for a fact what Michael business situtation is, and what his agreement was over the Thriller video with John Landis. The Thriller video is officially owened by MJJ Productions.Inc not Sony which is why John Landis is suing Michael. I have no reason to believe John Landis is suing Michael to be nasty, and I believe as not only the director but creator (or co-creator) of the storyline for Thriller Landis does have have a right to some parts of the ownership of Thriller. It may be 50% of the earnings from DVD's, iTunes and television screening or it may just be 50% ownership of the story for the video. We'll have to wait and see. So there is no point in any of us accusing Michael or John Landis of anything until we here the full facts from a credible source and not from the media. I like John Landis so I'm fairly open minded about him suing Michael, even though I wish the best for Michael on this legal issue.
 
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moonstreet said:
round and round it goes, where it stops, no body knows.....

I see a pattern forming here, a never ending circle

1. Michael makes buisness deal

2. Hands over maintaince on said buisness deal to employees

3. Employees leave or are fired

4. Maintance on said buisness deal is not kept up, Michael hasnt got a clue whats happening

5. Money dosnt get paid, legal action gets taken

6. Fans blame the person taking the legal action, as oopsie Michael can do no wrong

7. Fans start a hate campagain against the person , case settled out of court

8. part 1 starts again

Until such time Michael takes care of his buisness dealings himself intead of relying on his employeees, the endless cycle of court cases will continue.

Incase you have forgotton, I was in the court in London in Novemeber, hearing testomy which wasnt reported in the media from Michael's ex employeee. Go search that report here on MJJC. You will see that Michael didnt have a clue what was happening, signing documents which he had no idea about, getting himself into all kinds of stuff, and basically living in cloud cookcoo land. This is exactly the same thing. Stop being soo nieve, Michael is amazing, talented etc, and I love him with all my heart, but some of you need to realise he is not god, he makes mistakes, and is most of the time living in his little bubble world, with no clue as to whats happening with his finances, buisness deals etc!
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I think you have a point and I feel kinda like you do.
I'm tired of hearing people sueing Michael for whatever the reason may be.
The only news I've heard the last years about him is that he is being sued by someone. :no:
Michael, take care of your buisines for God's sake. Get it done and release records!!
 
Butterfly said:
I think you have a point and I feel kinda like you do.
I'm tired of hearing people sueing Michael for whatever the reason may be.
The only news I've heard the last years about him is that he is being sued by someone. :no:
Michael, take care of your buisines for God's sake. Get it done and release records!!
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I agree with you, just when Michael's getting back on his feet, someone always knocks him down with a stupid lawsuit.:doh::smilerolleyes::scratch:
 
Butterfly said:
Michael, take care of your buisines for God's sake. Get it done and release records!!
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I understand the worries of fans, the criticsm of Michael just being in the news when yet another person sues him over unpaid money, from contracts to alledged loans, but we just have to be paitent as we have no choice. I think one thing Michael should do is not mix business and friendship together, because they just don't work as has been the case since Michael bought The Beatles songs and lost Paul McCartney as a friend.
 
moonstreet said:
round and round it goes, where it stops, no body knows.....

I see a pattern forming here, a never ending circle

1. Michael makes buisness deal

2. Hands over maintaince on said buisness deal to employees

3. Employees leave or are fired

4. Maintance on said buisness deal is not kept up, Michael hasnt got a clue whats happening

5. Money dosnt get paid, legal action gets taken

6. Fans blame the person taking the legal action, as oopsie Michael can do no wrong

7. Fans start a hate campagain against the person , case settled out of court

8. part 1 starts again

Until such time Michael takes care of his buisness dealings himself intead of relying on his employeees, the endless cycle of court cases will continue.

Incase you have forgotton, I was in the court in London in Novemeber, hearing testomy which wasnt reported in the media from Michael's ex employeee. Go search that report here on MJJC. You will see that Michael didnt have a clue what was happening, signing documents which he had no idea about, getting himself into all kinds of stuff, and basically living in cloud cookcoo land. This is exactly the same thing. Stop being soo nieve, Michael is amazing, talented etc, and I love him with all my heart, but some of you need to realise he is not god, he makes mistakes, and is most of the time living in his little bubble world, with no clue as to whats happening with his finances, buisness deals etc!
Click to expand...


You make a good point. 'Spokespeople' are a long way from business managers, and I think or it seems like that's all Michael has had for years now. As vast as his business empire must be, it must be very hard to hand over to new people and have them know where every contract ever signed is!!

Still, Michael is the ceo and that's where the buck stops.

Just hope this doesn't delay the new album and tour!! :timer:
 
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