When it was announced that the beloved series Gilmore Girls would be returning to screens via Netflix, millions of fans rejoiced. But, it looks like one of the series’ original executive producers, Gavin Polone, isn’t quite looking forward to the show’s comeback, and he’s decided to file a lawsuit because of it.
So, what’s Gavin Polone’s problem with the rebooted Gilmore Girls? Apparently, according to Deadline, Warner Bros. Television has declined to pay Polone for the four, 90 minute movies that will be produced for the rebooted Gilmore Girls on Netflix. Polone served as one of the show’s executive producers, along with Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband Daniel Palladino, for the entire run of the show on The WB, and then The CW. The series ran from October 2000 through May 2007.
In the lawsuit, Gavin Polone lists his former production company, Hofflund/Polone, as the plaintiff and Warner Bros. Television as the defendant. Polone’s suit claims that when he realized production was due to start on a new version of Gilmore Girls he had his representative contact Warner Bros. to seek the compensation that he believed was due to him according to the agreement both parties had signed during the show’s original run. The suit then alleges that Warner Bros. made an “absurd” claim that the new episodes are simply a derivative production that is only based on the Gilmore Girls show, as opposed to being an extension of that show. Polone’s suit also says that Warner Bros. told him that the revival isn’t actually a TV show, since it’s being produced for Netflix and not a traditional network. He also believes that Warner Bros. Television chief executive, Peter Roth, holds a personal grudge against him which has led to the breach of contract.
Gavin Polone’s suit says that his deal with Warner Bros. Television from 2000 gave him the right to $32,500 for each original 60-minute episode of Gilmore Girls, a percentage of the money available after their agreed deductions and an, onscreen, executive producer credit. Polone is looking for a jury trial and at least $195,000 in damages.
Gilmore Girls centered on young single mom Lorelai Gilmore and her super driven, super smart teenage daughter Rory, who live in the small Connecticut town of Stars Hollow. When Lorelai wants to send Rory to a fancy high school, she’s forced to ask her parents, who she’s been estranged from for over a decade, for the money. Her parents agree, but only if they can be a part of her and Rory’s life again. The new Netflix episodes will take place in the present day, and cover one calendar year in their lives.
While this does mar the Gilmore Girls revival a little bit, let’s hope no further damage is done. After getting this close to new episodes, there would be few things worse than having the production shut down because of legal proceedings.
