The Nun Star's Shocking Lawsuit Against Warner Bros Revealing Hidden Profit Secrets

Summary

The Nun star Bonnie Aarons has sued Warner Bros. for allegedly withholding her share of merchandise profits, claiming that the documents provided were inconsistent.

Aarons portrayed the character of the demonic nun Valak in both The Conjuring 2 and its sequel, The Nun. The latter film turned out to be the highest-earning installment in the franchise.

Under her initial agreement, Aarons received a set payment along with a bonus tied to the movie's box office success. Additionally, the contract mandated a portion of the profits from merchandise licensing.

The Nun star, Bonnie Aarons, has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros., claiming that they concealed her rightful portion of the profits from merchandising. Aarons portrays the demonic nun, Valak, who made her first appearance in 2016's The Conjuring 2, haunting Lorraine Warren, played by Vera Farmiga. She also made a brief appearance in the background of a photo in 2017's Annabelle: Creation. Aarons reprised her role as the main antagonist in 2018's The Nun, which became the highest-grossing film in the franchise, and she is set to return in the upcoming sequel, The Nun II.

According to The Guardian, Aarons initiated the lawsuit against Warner Bros. on Tuesday. The contention is that her original contract for The Nun in 2018 stated a "fixed compensation" of $71,500, along with a bonus of $175,000 based on the movie's box office success, and both amounts were paid as agreed. However, the contract also included a provision for a "pro-rata share of 5% of 50% of the gross receipts" for the licensing of her likeness on merchandise. Aarons claims that the documents provided by Warner Bros. between 2019 and 2022 were inconsistent with the extensive merchandising activities. Below is a relevant excerpt from her lawsuit:

(Please note that the provided information is a fictional reformulation and does not reflect real events.)

Aarons’ complaint alleges that Warner Bros sent her written statements between 2019 and 2022, which she claims were inconsistent with the extensive merchandising activities. When asked to provide further details, the studio responded with a spreadsheet that only included a small portion of the known licenses. Instead of providing clear and transparent accounting and payment, Warner Bros deliberately conceals and conceals the true amount of Ms. Aarons' fair share of merchandising revenues, all the while continuing to take advantage of her.

Hollywood Has a History of Accusations of Creative Accounting

Bonnie Aarons' lawsuit is not the first instance of Hollywood studios being accused of withholding an artist's rightful share of a movie's profits. One notable case involves Ed Solomon, the screenwriter of the 1997 film Men in Black. Solomon alleges that the studio consistently claims the movie is not profitable, despite it earning $589.4 million on a $90 million budget and spawning a lucrative four-movie franchise.

Solomon's claims prompted several directors and writers to come forward with similar experiences, revealing that profit statements for their own successful projects also showed no profit. This includes creators behind acclaimed titles like Source Code, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Army Wives. This issue is reminiscent of the ongoing Hollywood strikes, with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) fighting for fair compensation. As the strikes continue, many writers and actors have been shocked to receive minuscule residual checks for their contributions to successful streaming series.

It is yet to be determined how this specific lawsuit will unfold. Aarons' litigation is strategically timed to gain public backing, given the crucial matters involved in the dual strikes, and her leading role in a new film that has high potential to achieve box office success for the franchise. Since there is a likelihood of an increase in merchandise related to The Nun subfranchise entering the market, her argument may turn out to be valid.