Lucasfilm is being sued by producer Karyn McCarthy over her firing from the Star Wars Disney+ TV show The Acolyte. The fate of Star Wars has been in a state of flux over the last few years; a string of controversial releases on the big screen, followed by the box office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story, led to the movies being put on hold. Lucasfilm pivoted to a focus on Disney+ TV shows such as The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Andor, which have proved remarkably successful. But even those have had their fair share of behind-the-scenes drama, with a number of changes of direction. One of these, affecting the TV show The Acolyte, has now led to Lucasfilm being sued.
In April 2022, experienced producer Karyn McCarthy - known for the likes of Ballers, Insecure, and House of Cards - was hired to begin work on The Acolyte, an original Star Wars production set in the High Republic Era, centuries before the prequel trilogy. Two weeks later, having passed on the option of an Apple production Sugar in favor of Lucasfilm, McCarthy was dropped. Per Deadline, she has now filed a breach of contract lawsuit.
Karyn McCarthy's Star Wars Lawsuit Explained
Filed in California, the lawsuit contends McCarthy had to choose between one contract for Lucasfilm and another for Apple. Aware of the competition, each studio made what the suit describes as an "aggressive" offer. McCarthy ultimately chose Lucasfilm, and - because the production would require her to be overseas for an extended period of time - began arrangements to relocate long-term into the U.K. Two weeks later, Lucasfilm withdrew the offer. By that point, Apple had moved on, and McCarthy had lost the chance to work on Sugar as well.
It's unclear how Lucasfilm's Star Wars plans had changed during that fortnight. More concerningly, McCarthy's lawsuit contends Lucasfilm refused to admit they had ever had an agreement with the producer; according to the lawsuit, this was in spite of McCarthy's receiving a memorandum of agreement, which explicitly referenced the fact she had started working. The studio refused to pay for McCarthy's work, ultimately making what is described as an "anemic and insulting" offer of $5,000 for a single day's work, which she rejected.
The timing of the lawsuit could not be worse for Lucasfilm, coming at the very moment the studio prepares another pivot back to the big screen. Major productions, including Kevin Feige's Star Wars film and Rogue Squadron, have reportedly been canceled among rumors of a major announcement at Star Wars Celebration 2023. Only time will tell how this case pans out for Lucasfilm and McCarthy, but it certainly casts a shadow over Star Wars and The Acolyte.
Source: Deadline