Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
There was a “beauty parade” of Australian distributors making offers for Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb after it screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, a court has been told.
The NSW Supreme Court was told that production company AI Film was fielding four credible offers by November 2024 that suited the strategy for a successful Australian release and were a springboard for an extended international release.
However, the court was told that a defamation lawsuit in the US initiated by three producers of the film – Vince Holden, Gregor Cameron and Amanda Ghost – against Ms Wilson over an Instagram post she made was causing issues with some of the distributors to finalise the deal.
AI Film Production Ltd is suing Ms Wilson in the NSW Supreme Court, alleging she sabotaged and blocked the release of the film that was shot in Australia in late 2023.
She is accused of undermining negotiations with distributors and threatening legal action against anyone showing the movie.
AI Film also alleges she breached various contractual obligations and directorial duties, engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and repeatedly committed the tort of injurious falsehood.
Mr Holden, Mr Cameron and Ms Ghost claim Wilson accused them in an Instagram post to her 11 million followers of inappropriate conduct towards the lead actor in the film, Charlotte MacInnes, embezzling funds and trying to block the film’s release.
Ms Wilson has denied the allegations and filed a counter claim seeking almost $800,000 in production fees and costs she says is owed to her company Camp Sugar, which her mother Sue Bownds co-owns.
Ms Wilson and her mum sat side by side at the rear of the Sydney courtroom on Tuesday as Mr Holden continued his evidence about the distribution deals.
Eventually, Rialto secured the rights and proposed for the film to premiere in Australia on March 30, but it didn’t happen until April 9, 2026.
The court was told it only made a little more than $300,000 at the box office, a figure Mr Holden described as “depressing”.
The hearing continues.
