Justin Timberlake sued by director of shelved ‘20/20 Experience’ documentary
John Urbano has alleged that Timberlake bilked him out of $2.5 million
American singer and actor Justin Timberlake has been sued in federal court by long-time music video helmer John Urbano.
According to Deadline, Urbano sued the former NSYNC member over a film about Timberlake’s blockbuster the ‘20/20 Experience’ album that has never seen the light of day.
Under a profit-sharing plan initiated supposedly by Timberlake, he and Urbano would film the documentary and bring it to market along with the release of the long-awaited album.
As per the court filing, even though the completed film moved the singer to “tears,” Timberlake’s interest in taking it further “faded” as ‘20/20 Experience’, his first solo album in several years, took off.
Urbano has alleged that Timberlake bilked him out of $2.5 million, which is the Ohio-based estimate he would have been paid if the documentary had been a straightforward for-hire deal, reported Deadline.
Instead, with the exception of $20,000 right at the start of filming in 2012 and some expenses, the One Direction collaborator and Keith Urban documentary director has alleged he got nothing from Timberlake.
“Instead of fulfilling his obligations to the joint venture, Mr Timberlake has failed to take any steps to promote, market, and sell the Making of the 20/20 Experience,” claims the breach of contract complaint from Urbano over the nearly decade-old project.
It continued, “Mr Timberlake has increasingly distanced himself from the project and his partner — often using a network of agents, managers, and handlers to interface with Mr. Urbano.”
Along with financial compensation, Urbano has demanded a court order to hand all rights to the ‘Making of the 20/20 Experience’ flick to him.
‘The 20/20 Experience’ album came out in early 2013 and proved to be a bit of a musical comeback for the performer. The record proved a massive hit for Timberlake, as well as received a fair dose of critical acclaim.
The album snagged two Grammys, a 2013 American Music Award and a quartet of wins at the MTV Video Awards that same year.