Showrunner claims AMC’s accounting left him with nothing despite the series’ success
Summary
– Dave Erickson files lawsuit against AMC for breach of contract and unpaid profits
– Erickson alleges AMC structured profit terms to keep him from breaking even
– The case follows other high-profile Walking Dead profit disputes involving AMC
Fear the Walking Dead creator Dave Erickson has filed a lawsuit against AMC, claiming the network withheld profits owed to him from the hit series. The filing accuses AMC of crafting a payment structure designed to prevent him from ever reaching the point of profit participation.
According to the lawsuit, Erickson’s statements indicate a deficit exceeding $185 million, despite other participants having received at least $49 million in profit payouts. The complaint argues that AMC’s accounting system was built to obscure actual earnings while allowing select producers to benefit from improved terms.
Erickson’s legal team argues that AMC failed to provide him with the “best possible definition” for modified adjusted gross receipts (MAGR), the metric used to determine his backend payments. Emails between Erickson’s representatives and AMC executives allegedly confirm that he was supposed to benefit from any favorable adjustments granted to other producers.
The suit also references AMC’s history of profit disputes, including the $200 million settlement with Frank Darabont in 2021 and ongoing cases involving Robert Kirkman and other creators of The Walking Dead. Erickson’s complaint claims AMC intentionally delayed clarifying profit terms until after launching its streaming service, using those changes to limit payouts.
Erickson seeks a court order to revise his payment formula and place him on equal footing with other producers, along with damages for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, and bad faith. His case adds another chapter to AMC’s long-running financial battles over one of television’s most profitable franchises.
