There’s bad blood between “Walking Dead” cable network AMC and Hollywood agency CAA, sources say, as a contentious lawsuit between the parties over the hit zombie show drags on.
CAA and Frank Darabont — who developed the show — filed a lawsuit against AMC in 2013, accusing the network of “self dealing,” an accounting practice that would allegedly cut CAA and Darabont out of profits.
AMC’s reportedly called the suit “baseless,” but was unsuccessful this year in getting the case dismissed.
The tension’s apparently colored the relationship between the network and the agency today.
“Who wants to work people who are suing them?” a source close to AMC asked of the suit.
The source added that these days at the channel, “If there’s a ‘tie’ between shows under consideration, they’ll definitely pick the deal with WME or UTA.”
And that in the past, “CAA had the vast majority of AMC shows as a key packager for the network,” but that the number’s shrinking.
Attorney Jerry D. Bernstein, who’s repping CAA and Darabont declined to comment, except to say the discovery phase of the litigation is now completed.
AMC’s lawyer didn’t get back to us.