Guy Ritchie is reportedly being sued by a writer who claims The Gentleman copied scenes from a script he wrote.
- READ MORE: ‘The Gentlemen’ review: Guy Ritchie’s cartoonish crime caper is stained with casual racism
According to a report from Variety, Ritchie is at the heart of a lawsuit which was filed in the London High Court last month by actor and writer Mickey De Hara. In his suit De Hara claims that Ritchie commissioned him to write a sequel to the 2008 gangster movie RockNRolla, which was to be based on De Hara’s “personal life experiences”.
De Hara goes on to claim that he delivered a script but alleges Ritchie told him “the time of the gangster movie was over”. The actor and writer goes on to claim that two years later, Ritchie released The Gentlemen, with De Hara claiming the film is a “substantial” reproduction of the script he delivered in 2018.
Ritchie’s 2019 crime thriller famously starred Matthew McConaughey as a smooth-talking marijuana supplier who risks everything to leave the drug business. It garnered mixed reviews, but proved to be a hit with movie-goers with an audience score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film received a two-star review from NME upon its release, which called it a “cartoonish crime caper is stained with casual racism”. Notable performances came from McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, and Colin Farrell. Farrell’s role saw him play a tracksuit clad gangster called ‘The Coach’ who headed up a gang called ‘The Toddlers’.
According to the report from the Hollywood publication, De Hara cites a scene involving Farrell’s character and his gang where vinegar is squirted into someone’s eyes as being a word-for-word reproduction of his script. He is also believed to be claiming that the 2018 script he handed to Ritchie revolves around a protagonist who runs a marijuana business.
The plot of The Gentlemen sees McConaughey’s character desperate to leave his booming marihuana business and retire to a quiet life of luxury with his wife (played by Michelle Dockery).
De Hara is also reported as claiming that after the film was released in January 2020 he texted Ritchie to point out the similarities between the two projects. Ritchie is said to have replied via text: “Mickey, I and my people have tried to contact you for some years now. There was no response. I am happy for us to sit down and have a chat.”
De Hara denies that Ritchie made any attempt to contact him regarding the project in advance of its release. He goes on to claim that in April 2020, De Hara asked Ritchie to give him a writers credit on the film prior to its digital release. However, both Ritchie and one of his associates are alleged to have said it wouldn’t be possible, instead offering De Hara a writing credit on another project that he wasn’t involved in.
“I have a feeling that might be too late Mickey,” Ritchie is said to have texted De Hara. “I’ll try, but what I can do is get you a credit on something in the future. Let me see what I can do. Honestly, we did try to get hold of you.”
In the suit De Hara claims that he “has no intention of seeking credit for original work that was not created by him”. However, he is seeking “credit for his original work that has been used in The Gentlemen without his consent and without payment of the agreed remuneration.”
The writer is also said to be looking to claim over $250,000 (£201,239), which includes a share of the film’s profits.
Ritchie has yet to respond to the original Variety article or subsequent requests for comment.