Stuck in the Snow

Last week The Hollywood Reporter reported that Jake was teaming up again with his Southpaw director Antoine Fuqua for the movie The Man Who Made It Snow, a 1980s crime drama.

Jake is cast as the man in the title, Max Mermelstein,  thought to be the only American who was in the inner circle of the Colombian cartels in the go-go 1980s.

Snow is a biopic of Mermelstein and is based on his autobiography. Brett Tabor wrote the script. Jake will produce with Fuqua, Tabor and IM Global's Matt Jackson.

But this week,  it is reported that everything is at a halt, and heading to  court.

 "Randall Emmett and George Furla's Emmett/Furla Oasis Films is upset at being cut out of The Man Who Made It Snow..."  "The production company has filed a $5 million lawsuit against the film's screenwriter that seeks an injunction against any distribution of the movie."

According to a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Emmett and Tabor have been in close contact for the last few years trying to make the film. The production was put on hold due to other competing films and TV programs in the marketplace.

"However, very recently, on September 30, 2014, Plaintiff and Defendant Tabor agreed that Plaintiff would produce and finance the Picture as evidenced by an option agreement contained in an email correspondence from Defendant Tabor to Mr. Emmett," states the lawsuit.

The email, attached to the complaint, conditions the film option on making a successful pay-or-play offer to Gyllenhaal for the lead role of Mermelstein. According to further court documents, Gyllenhaal was offered $6 million for the picture while Fuqua was to get a producer/director fee of $5 million. Emmett had planned to contribute $31 million to the picture's budget and had also agreed to let Tabor executive produce.
  
"However, unbeknownst to Plaintiff, Defendant Tabor, had, among other things, secretly and surreptitiously utilized Plaintiff's efforts and financing proposal/commitment, and proceeded to negotiate an agreement with IM Global for the financing and distribution of the Picture."

IM Global has launched the film at this week's American Film Market and has put out word that some presales with foreign distributors have been closed.

Emmett claims that Tabor and his associates have interfered with negotiations with Gyllenhaal's agent by claiming that Emmett has no rights to The Man Who Made It Snow. Tabor is said to have been warned not to execute any agreements that transfer rights, but Tabor's reps allegedly never responded."

It looks like are going to be some snow delays with this one.