When individuals have an undertaking in mind, they may not feel that going at it alone is in their best interests. For many, joint ventures can allow parties to pursue certain endeavors more easily. Of course, because these ventures mean bringing other people into the fold, it is possible that disputes and business litigation could occur.
Texas residents may be interested in such an issue involving actor Richard Gere. Reports stated that Gere had entered into a joint venture agreement with the owners of Random Acts Entertainment in order to produce a project. However, Gere claims that the owners have breached their contract and have attempted to extort him for $500,000. His claims indicate that creative differences caused the parties to have a falling out, and he has recently filed a lawsuit against them.
In a response to that legal claim, the company owners have also filed suit against Gere. They claim that they had worked on the project for eight years in conjunction with Gere when the actor decided that he wanted to proceed with the project on his own. They also stated that they were attempting to come to a buyout agreement with Gere when he filed the lawsuit for extortion.
While some joint ventures may begin with the best of intentions, it does not always take much for conflict to arise. Though some issues may be easy to resolve, others may need much more serious action. If Texas residents are facing similar situations, they may wish to consider their legal options for protecting their projects and resolving the disputes as best as possible.
Source: hollywoodreporter.com, “Richard Gere Countersued in Book Adaptation Contract Dispute“, Ashley Cullins, May 2, 2018