"Thriller" director sues Michael Jackson for not sharing profit

Los Angeles, January 28:Pop star Michael Jackson, who has suffered from several financial and legal troubles in recent years, has landed in a hot soup again, and this time involved his wildly popular album and song, 'Thriller.' The ‘King of Pop’ is sued by Thriller director.

Jackson, 50, faces legal action from the Hollywood film maker John Landis, who co-wrote and directed Jackson's "Thriller" video in 1983.

The 1982 album “Thriller” is the world’s best selling album, the music video of which was first shown in 1983. In the 14-minute music video, a girl (former Playboy centerfold Ola Ray) and a boy (Jackson) go out on a date and suddenly the boy transforms into both a zombie and a werecat because of the full moon.

The mini-film music video was the most expensive video of its time, featuring choreographed zombies and the horror film actor Vincent Price performing with Jackson, one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.

Now, Landis has filed a lawsuit against the Moonwalker, alleging the singer has not paid him his share of the profits from the grounbreaking sales of the video, or an hourlong making of the subsequent documentary for the last four years. Landis says he's due 50 percent of the net profits from the video.

The case, filed at Los Angeles Superior Court last week, does not specifies exactly what sum Landis was demanding from Jackson, but shows that Landis and his company, Levitsky Productions, have accused the pop icon of "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct".

"After a spectacular theatrical premiere, the 'Thriller' video became a worldwide megahit and an iconic pop culture phenomenon that has continued to generate profits for defendants Optimum Prods. and Michael Jackson, who have wrongfully refused to pay or account for such profits to plaintiff," the suit reads.

"I can't understand what they are doing to John Landis' company," the entertainment site the Wrap quoted Landis’ attorney Martin Feldman, as saying. "It is such a straight ahead thing. It makes no sense to me at all."

The lawsuit news came a day after the Nederlander Organization acquired rights to produce a musical version of "Thriller."

Landis is the movie comedy maestro whose credits include "Animal House," "The Blues Brothers" and "An American Werewolf in London."