Merry Gentleman, LLC v. George & Leona Productions, Inc.

HAMILTON, Circuit Judge.

Merry Gentleman, LLC produced the motion picture The Merry Gentleman, which was released, in 2009. Despite some critical acclaim, the film was a commercial flop. Merry Gentleman blames Michael Keaton, the film’s lead actor and director, for the bust. It brought this breach of contract action against Keaton and George and Leona Productions, Inc., Keaton’s “loan-out company” that he uses for professional contracting, alleging that Keaton violated his directing contract by (1) failing to prepare the first cut of the film in a timely fashion, (2) submitting a first cut…