LucasFilm Tells Darth Vader that Return of the Jedi Hasn’t Made a Profit!?

[The Straight Story]

LucasFilm Tells Darth Vader that Return of the Jedi Hasn’t Made a Profit!?

During an interview with Equity Magazine, David Prowse, the actor who played (but didn’t voice) Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, claims that LucasFilm has yet to pay him any residual payments on Return of the Jedi because the the film has yet to make a profit.

“I get these occasional letters from Lucasfilm saying that we regret to inform you that as Return of the Jedi has never gone into profit, we’ve got nothing to send you. Now here we’re talking about one of the biggest releases of all time,” said Prowse. “I don’t want to look like I’m bitching about it,” he said, “but on the other hand, if there’s a pot of gold somewhere that I ought to be having a share of, I would like to see it.”

Of course, Return of the Jedi has grossed over $572 million worldwide, which includes an estimated $88 million when the film was re-released in 1997. So how is it possible that the film has yet to make a profit? Prowse really can’t be serious, can he?

TimesOnline contacted LucasFilm about the story but the company declined to comment as a matter of policy. In the interview, Prowse warns young actors to know exactly what kind of contracts they are signing:

“There is a big difference between having a share of the gross profit and having a share of the net profit. It is a huge difference in just one word. Sometimes, with net profit, with all the expenses and so on, it seems like you end up paying them.”

http://lastwww.slashfilm.com/2009/04/05/lucasfilm-tells-darth-vader-that-return-of-the-jedi-hasnt-made-a-profit/

Darth Vader Actor Banned From STAR WARS Convention

David Prowse, the actor who famously played Darth Vader (not the voice) in the original Star Wars trilogy has just posted on his site that he's been banned from the big Lucas Film Star Wars Celebration V (C5) in Orlando.

"It is with regret that I have been informed by my friends at C2 Ventures, Ben and Phillip, that I am not to be invited to C5 this year or any other Lucas Film associated events. After enquiring, the only thing I have been told is that I have 'burnt too many bridges between Lucas Film and myself' - no other reason given...I have also been advised by the promoter of Paris Manga in September that LFL (Lucas Film Limited) have requested no photo opportunities with the 501 Squadron, even though I am commander in chief of the 501"

http://geektwins.blogspot.com/2010/06/darth-vader-actor-banned-from-star-wars.html

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

1. I find his lack of faith disturbing.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Strong is the bullshit." - Yoda

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

5. or "Bullshit is the strong."

[deminks]

9. or bullshit strong, it is.

:rofl:

[SpiralHawk]

10. It bullshit is. Strongly. It carries the stank of Republiconomics." - Yo Doga

[msongs]

3. Lucas to actors - sorry jack, I am keeping all the $$ so screw you nt

[Morning Dew]

4. I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks don't work on me.

[MilesColtrane]

6. "Those aren't the residuals you're looking for."

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

7. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....

George Lucas used to not be a greedy douchebag.

[Beaverhausen]

8. First of all, I don't think its residuals he's talking about

Residuals are paid anytime a film is shown, as long as the actor is part of a guild.

He's talking about profit participations. And it sounds like he might be getting paid on the first two, so maybe the third was just more expensive and therefore has not achieved "net profit" status yet.

I can bet other actors are making money on those films. Remember, this guy only walked around with the cape and mask on.

Disclaimer - I work in a participations department at another studio.

[Lorien]

11. I had lunch with David years ago and he told me the source of the rift between himself

and Lucas. It happened during the making of "The Empire Strikes Back". Actors were only given the pages of the script that they were working on that day and David was only a few days into shooting when he did an interview for a London paper. The interviewer was obviously more informed about the project than David was at that time. She asked "So there's a rumor that it will be revealed that Darth Vader is Luke's father. Can you confirm that?" David hadn't shot that sequence yet so he said "Darth Vader is Luke's father? Where on earth did you hear that?" but the paper simply quoted "Vader actor Prowse says "Darth Vader is Luke's father."" Lucas was furious, but they did have a three picture contract with David. So throughout the rest of the productions Lucas made things as uncomfortable as possible for him, hoping that David would eventually be in breach of contract. It got pretty ugly. Of course, this is all "he said, he said", but I know several other people who were involved on both films and they have backed David's version up. Sad.

[Greyhound]

12. It's called Hollywood accounting, and it's been around forever.

Pickford, Fairbanks, and Chaplin formed United Artists to protect themselves from this scam.

James Garner was wooed back to the small screen to do the Rockford Files with a piece of the action and a special fee per episode if/when the series went into syndication. Universal used similar tactics (though the details were changed) to not pay him. He sued them twice over this, but out of court settlements left the system intact.

The recording industry regularly used this scam on artists, which is the reason that the "stealing from the artists" meme, used in the RIAA lawsuits, was so ironic.

[Scurrilous]

13. Ridiculous. n/t

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

14. I was really hoping this was a link to a "Hitler finds out" style youtube video