10 Famous Films That Failed To Turn A Profit Thanks To Hollywood Accounting

Jim Garrison, the New Orleans district attorney played by Kevin Costner and whose book On the Trail of the Assassins formed the basis of Oliver Stone’s conspiracy thriller JFK, died in 1992 a year after the film’s release without seeing a penny paid to him bar an initial $300,000 in book and consulting fees. Why? That old trick called the net profit deal, of course.

Upon discovering this, the estate of Jim Garrison took action against Warner Brothers for the late attorney-turned-writer’s share of JFK’s profits but rather than sue the studio individually they instigated a class-action lawsuit against Warner Brothers and six other major studios including Walt Disney, Paramount and 20th Century Fox alleging an industry-wide conspiracy to ensure that net profits would never be paid to those owed.

The lawsuit, which enabled Garrison’s heirs to potentially represent thousands of other creative talents denied profits, had the potential to rock the Hollywood accounting system to its core, but unfortunately for all involved the suit was later dismissed.