Scream 4 will hit theaters April 15 without the specter of a lawsuit hovering over the horror sequel. Distributor the Weinstein Co. has paid to settle a $3 million claim filed by producer Cathy Konrad, who alleged she was booted from the fourth installment of the franchise after it was developed behind her back.
Terms of the settlement, which was reached a few months ago but has gone unreported until now, have not been disclosed. However, sources tell THR that Konrad is getting a cash payment from TWC and a very small portion of the back end on the film.
We broke the news last May that Konrad and her Cat Entertainment had sued in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming she was responsible for the development of the lucrative Scream franchise and was entitled to a first opportunity to produce any sequels on the same financial terms as Scream 3, for which she received $550,000 pay-or-play plus $100,000 bonuses for domestic boxoffice targets of $75 million, $100 million, $110 million and $125 million.
Konrad claimed she had planned to be involved in the fourth film, directed by Wes Craven, but she learned from media reports that TWC was planning to restart the horror series and release another installment in 2011 without including her.
The suit alleged that the Weinsteins booted her based on the “false pretext” that her producing services were to be exclusive to the project, which she says was not a requirement on Scream 3. She claimed that the Weinsteins actually excluded her to lower costs and to hire Craven’s wife instead of Konrad.TWC attorney Bert Fields denied the allegations at the time.
Fields and Konrad’s attorney declined to comment on the settlement.
Email Matthew Belloni at Matthew.Belloni@thr.com.
