Singleton sues Componen over 'Flow' deal

SingletonIt was among Sundance 2005's most popular qualities. Amy Pascal required a print from La, and John Singleton's reps prepared memos to create a double-digit deal. Discussions transported on late in to the evening from the screening, by 5 a.m., Vital had beaten out Miramax, New Line and concentrate to nab its prize: the urban crime drama "Hustle & Flow." Six years later, Vital finds itself the prospective of the $20 million suit over its hard-fought against deal. Inside a suit filed Wednesday in La Superior Court, Singleton, who created "Hustle & Flow," claims the studio reneged on its promise to "put" two lower-budget projects included in its distribution pact. "The gist from the 'puts,'?" based on the suit, was that Vital would finance and distribute the images as long as their budgets did not exceed $3.5 million each, that Singleton could not take greater than a 7.5% fee per picture. Vital responded by saying Singleton unsuccessful to keep up their own finish from the bargain. "Vital was wishing that John Singleton would produce two more pictures before his agreement with this studio led to 2010, but that didn't happen," a studio representative told Variety. "Rather, he continued to direct 'Abduction' for Lionsgate. Vital satisfied all its obligations and the claims have simply no merit." Singleton's suit states he switched lower offers using their company suitors -- a minumum of one which offered more up-front gold coin -- but ultimately pacted with Vital and MTV Films through his Crunk Pictures shingle since the studio offered both a $9 million advance from the after sales additionally towards the two other films over the following 5 years. "Hustle" continued to gross $23 million worldwide. Court paperwork explain that about 18 several weeks later, Singleton caused the studio's purchase of "Black Lizard Moan," composed by "Flow" scribe Craig Maker. "Regrettably, when Crunk tried to exercise its to 'put' the 2 pictures to Vital, Vital started saying self-enforced, non-existent conditions around the 'puts' that avoided Singleton from making the images and frustrated his enjoyment of the extremely contractual right which had convinced him to reject another bidders on 'Hustle and Flow,'" the suit alleges. "The only real reason Singleton granted Vital the distribution privileges to 'Black Lizard Moan' was because Singleton thought that Vital would recognition the puts and Singleton could be running a business with Vital for several years.Inch "Hustle" follows a Memphis pimp facing a middle age crisis who's determined to become rapper. Maker also directed "Hustle," which stars Terrence Howard, Taryn Manning, Anthony Anderson, DJ Qualls and rapper Ludacris. Singleton's 2005 deal was seen as an boon to him, and suggestive of the popularity for sophisticated dealmakers to keep onto a lot of after sales. "Filmmakers have grown to be much more savvy about holding onto the upside," UTA agent Jeremy Barber, who had been area of the team that repped Craig Brewer's "Hustle and Flow," stated at that time. Like a director, Singleton is better noted for "Boyz N the Hood," "2 Fast 2 Furious" and "Four Siblings." Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com