Gerard Butler is reportedly suing the producers of his hit film Olympus Has Fallen and claims he is owed at least £7.9 million in profits.
The Scottish actor plays Secret Service agent Mike Banning who foils high stake terrorist plots in the action-packed film series, which has raked in around £122m at the Box Office.
But the 51-year-old, originally from Paisley, claims that he has not seen a penny in net profits, despite the film grossing over half a billion dollars worldwide.
Gerard starred in Olympus Has Fallen in 2013, London has Fallen in 2016 and 2019's Angel Has Fallen – with a further sequel titled Night Has Fallen due to be released in the near future.
The first film was made on a budget of $70 million (£50.3 million) but raked in more than $170 million (£122 million).
Gerard has now filed a fraud case in which he claims he is owed at least $10 million (£7.9 million) in profits.
It comes hot on the heels of Scarlett Johansson’s bold move to sue Disney over lost profits over her film Black Widow.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gerard's lawsuit alleges defendants Nu Image, Millennium Media and Padre Nuestro Productions never intended to pay the actor net profits from the original movie.
The publication states: "Butler brings a fraud claim with the assertion that defendants Nu Image, Millennium Media and Padre Nuestro Productions never intended to pay him net profits.
“The film has grossed about $170 million worldwide, yet he says he hasn’t seen a penny in net profits, with an audit of accounting statements raising flags in multiple areas on the revenue side, both domestically and foreign.”
Deadline reports: “Producers have earned tens of millions of dollars from Olympus, but refuse to pay Butler a penny of the profits promised to him in the parties’ agreement.
“Producers embarked on a scheme designed to grossly misrepresent the finances of the Film to Butler, so that Butler would believe that no such payments were due.”
Suing major film studios is in vogue at present in Hollywood, with A List star Scarlett Johansson currently locking horns with Disney.
The 26-year-old took aim at the House of Mouse over the fact they released her latest film, Black Widow, on their streaming service at the same time as releasing the film in cinemas.
The star claims she has lost out on a reported £36 million in lost profits and claims the company is in breach of contract.
