Swept Away Lawsuit
A May 4 trial date was set Tuesday in a lawsuit filed against Madonna and her director-husband by a man who claims the couple cut him out of credit and compensation for the film flop remake “Swept Away.”
Vincent D’Onofrio sued the singer, Guy Ritchie and Sony Pictures in Los Angeles Superior Court in October 2002.
He claims he came up with the idea to redo Lina Wertmuller‘s classic film about a wealthy woman and a sailor stranded on a deserted island when their cruise liner sinks.
The plaintiff is not the actor of the same name who portrays Detective Bobby Goren on NBC’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”
D’Onofrio alleges he pitched the idea to Madonna in April 1997 and had several meetings with the “Material Girl” and her husband, who has directed such films as “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”
But D’Onofrio, a self-described singer, songwriter, actor, director, writer and producer, claims Madonna and Ritchie made the film without him, and he received no screen credit or money.
Attorneys for the defendants claim D’Onofrio does not have proof of a contract with either Sony or Madonna, and D’Onofrio’s attorney, Morris Getzels, says only that his client had a “quasi-contract” with the defendants.
Getzels has said he would seek $10 million in damages.
Madonna’s version of “Swept Away,” was a critical and box office bomb, sinking quickly from theaters. It was recently released on home video.
Source: NBC4.tv.
Thanks to Sluguy