Warner Bros. Was Previously Sued By An Extra Over Russell Brand's Conduct. Now They're Handing Over Hours Of Outtakes

(Image credit: Russell Brand)

Russell Brand is facing serious criminal charges in the U.K., including sexual assault and rape, relating to multiple incidents from the late 1990s through the early 2000s. The comedian and actor likely has his hands full with that, but now a lawsuit against Brand is also moving forward, which is resulting in Warner Brothers handing over hours of movie outtakes.

Over the last few years, a variety of allegations have been made against Russell Brand. A lot of what was simply seen as bad behavior by the actor at the time has been reviewed in a different light following an investigation by multiple media outlets in the U.K. that brought light to allegations of assault. The report, in turn, led to additional claims against Brand, including the criminal complaints that have now been charged.

Outtakes From 2011’s Arthur Remake Are Part Of An Ongoing Lawsuit Against Russell Brand

The same year that the major allegations against Brand occurred in the U.K., both Russell Brand and Warner Bros. were sued by an anonymous woman who was an extra on the set of the 2011 comedy Arthur. The woman claims that on the set, Brand exposed himself to her and assaulted her in separate incidents. Both Brand and WB have denied wrongdoing, but the studio is now cooperating with the plaintiff and has agreed to turn over outtakes from the film that are estimated to run anywhere from four to eight hours in length.

According to Variety, WB “offered” to turn over the footage, so it doesn’t sound like this was court-mandated. It’s unclear if there is something specific that the plaintiff believes is contained in the footage or if this is just a case of covering all the bases in case there’s something there. While the main allegations are against Brand, it's alleged other crew members aided Brand in his assault, which may be why WB has been directly sued.

Russell Brand May Face Even More Criminal Charges

The different legal issues on both sides of the Atlantic also came up in the U.S. court, as Brand’s lawyers asked to have the lawsuit delayed because it might overlap with the criminal trial in the U.K. That request was denied. Brand is expected to appear in U.K. court over the assault and rape charges in May.

Russell Brand lost his management team as a result of the various allegations. He also reportedly lost work due to complaints regarding his behavior.

Even this may not be the end of Brand’s legal woes. Brand’s lawyer Mark Cuccaro, told the court that his client had a “reasonable belief” that he could also end up facing criminal prosecution in the U.S. from the allegations against him. No authorities have revealed an investigation into Brand, but it’s possible one is taking place that we don’t know about.

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CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis. Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.