Benedict Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch Faces Lawsuit Over Roald Dahl Script (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comK.J. Yossman Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company SunnyMarch is being sued over the rights to a Roald Dahl script, Variety can reveal.SunnyMarch, whose directors are Cumberbatch and his producing partner Adam Ackland, entered into a co-production agreement with Portobello Productions (“Moffie,” “Ida”) in November 2019 to make a film adaptation of Dahl’s novel “Danny the Champion of the World.”Cumberbatch was also set to star in the film as Danny’s father William, subject to his availability and approval of the script.After commissioning and paying “One Day” writer David Nicholls to pen a first draft, however, Portobello allege they heard nothing further from Cumberbatch or Ackland, despite both men taking on numerous other projects, which are listed in the court filings, including “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “The Power of the Dog,” for which Cumberbatch could possibly win an Oscar next month.
According to the agreement, the two companies would hire a director to work with Nicholls to revise the script and, once approved, it would be sent out to film financiers and talent.However, the lawsuit alleges: “Since the date of the Agreement, no material progress has been made in the development of the Film.
The parties have not engaged a director and no revised first draft of the Screenplay has been produced.”According to the co-production agreement, if SunnyMarch or Cumberbatch personally had not approved the revised script within 12 months of delivery or if the parties could not get it funded within three years, Portobello were entitled to terminate the contract and take back rights to Nicholls’ script.The agreement could also be terminated if Cumberbatch and Ackland “ceased to have control” of SunnyMarch Limited or.
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