Passion of the Christ screenwriter sues Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson stands accused of fraud, breach of contract, and unfair business practices in a lawsuit filed by the co-screenwriter of his religious epic, The Passion of the Christ. Benedict Fitzgerald is accusing Mel of engaging in a “chronic and conspiratorial pattern of deceit” by telling the writer that he was working on a project with a budget of between $4 million and $7 million.
Fitzgerald claims that he was only paid $75,000 and that he had to borrow $200,000 from Mel to cover expenses.
The movie went on to gross an estimated $600 million worldwide. The lawsuit, filed yesterday, reads: “Gibson preyed monetarily on Ben, taking advantage of his unbridled enthusiasm for the project and with a full cognizance of Ben’s fundamental personal and spiritual beliefs.”
It’s not being said yet how much he’s suing for.
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