Obsession producer claims she saved the horror hit and then was cut out

Just days after the indie horror hit “Obsession” crossed $500 million worldwide at the box office, the film’s producers are facing a lawsuit from a colleague who claims they were cut out of the profits.Leonora Ann Darby filed a lawsuit in a California state court on Monday, accusing Tea Shop Productions’ co-founders James Harris and Mark Lane for reneging on an earlier agreement, according to THR.The initial agreement would have made her an equal producer at the company, and on the project, though she was ultimately relegated to an executive producer role.The lawsuit alleges that her work on the psychological thriller — at one point “rescuing” it, according to the lawsuit — should have qualified her for a lead producer role, which includes profit participation involvement.Darby claims that, once the film became a substantial box office hit — and now a part of Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights — Harris and Lane cut her out, which had major financial implications, though the amount she was cut out of was not given in the lawsuit.“Ms.Darby has brought serious and substantial claims, supported by a detailed factual record,“ said her lawyer Thomas K.

Richards, a partner at Singh, Singh and Trauben, in a statement.“She is confident in her case and intends to pursue it fully.”Darby started working at Tea Shop Productions in 2019, helping to produce films such as 2021’s “Bull” and “A Banquet,” 2024’s “The Surfer” and 2025’s “Tornado,” to name a few.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story She engaged with Harris and Lane in 2024 to negotiate a new compensation agreement that would give her one-third of the net profits for films that she served as a lead producer on.When she came on board “Obsession...