A Gilmore Girls producer says he's being shut out of profits from the series revival and is suing for at least $195,000 in damages, according to a lawsuit filed in L.A. County Superior Court.
City News Service first reported Gavin Polone filed a breach of contract lawsuit on Friday against Warner Bros. Television, claiming he helped develop the series and his contract entitled him to be paid for each original episode of the show.
The complaint says the agreement entitled Polone to receive $32,500 for each episode produced after 2003, plus a percentage of the show's modified adjusted gross and an executive producer credit.
After Netflix announced it would release four new 90-minute episodes, Polone approached Warner Bros. for his share, but according to the lawsuit the company refused.
The complaint says Warners is "making the absurd claim that the Subsequent Episodes are derivative works based on the television series" and the studio doesn't consider the reboot a television series because it's being produced for Netflix, not a broadcast network.
Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel and most of the hit show's fan favorites are back for the revival. Melissa McCarthy, who has had huge big-screen success since the show ended in 2007, announced last week that she would be returning to Stars Hollow for the reboot.
Polone, a producer-director, is an occasional contributing writer for The Hollywood Reporter. He is being repped by Eric George and Elena Nutenko of Browne George Ross, who were unavailable for comment.