The Weinstein Co. reached a settlement in a breach of contract and fraud lawsuit involving a 2013 movie that James Corden appeared in before landing his late-night television talk show, the studio’s attorney told a judge Friday.
The suit was filed in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal by former Paramount President of Production Brad Weston and producer Michael Menchel, who said they produced the movie “One Chance” for TWC.
According to the plaintiffs’ October 2017 court papers, they accepted a reduced fee for their work in exchange for a percentage of the movie’s revenue. They alleged that TWC promised the movie would appear on 800 screens, but instead it only showed up on 43 screens.
“This case is fully settled against Harvey Weinstein and the agreement just needs to be signed,” plaintiffs’ attorney S. Michael Kernan wrote in a filing with Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Mark. H. Epstein, who held a brief proceeding in the case Friday.
Kernan was not present in court, but TWC attorney Phyllis Kupferstein appeared on behalf of her client.
In Friday’s minute order, Epstein’s clerk noted that “there have been issues finalizing the settlement” due to Weinstein’s incarceration, so the judge gave the parties until Oct. 1 to finalize matters.
No terms of the resolution were divulged.
“One Chance” is based on a true story and starred Corden as a shy shop assistant and amateur opera singer who ended up winning the top prize on the TV show “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2007.
Weston is the former CEO of New Regency Productions, where he produced “Birdman,” “The Revenant,” “Gone Girl,” “The Big Short” and “12 Years a Slave.”
The 68-year-old Weinstein is serving a 23-year sentence in a prison near Buffalo, N.Y., for rape and sexual assault. He is facing five felony counts in Los Angeles involving alleged sex crimes with three women.