UPDATE: Lawsuit Dropped Against Julie Taymor's MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Film

By: Jun. 11, 2015
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UPDATE: 6/11 6:20 pm - BWW has just received news that the complaint against 'A Midsummer NIght's Dream' film producer Ben Latham-Jones has been withdrawn. The official statement reads:

"Artful Dodgers in Performance and Theatre for a New Audience are at this time unilaterally withdrawing their complaint against film producer Ben Latham-Jones regarding the film version of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' The plaintiffs look forward to a speedy and amicable resolution of the dispute.

"Theatre for a New Audience, which originally produced the stage version of Julie's Taymor's acclaimed 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' looks forward to working with the film's producer, distributor and director to support the premiere of this wonderful film.

"Artful Dodgers in Performance and Theatre for a New Audience want to reiterate that Ms. Taymor was never a party to the complaint. She is neither a plaintiff or a defendant. She is a brilliant and extraordinary artist with whom they have had a long and successful collaboration and hope to continue to do so in the future. They are now looking forward to the film's premiere on June 15, and then nationwide release on June 22 by Fathom Events."

UPDATE: 6/11 7:45 am - BWW has received the following statement from Theatre for a New Audience's Founding Artistic Director, Jeffrey Horowitz:

"We hope to resolve our differences shortly. We look forward to using all of our collective efforts to support the film so it can become the success it deserves to be."

UPDATE: 3:00 pm/ET - BWW has a received a statement from Ben Latham Jones, Head of Ealing Studios regarding this story. It reads as follows:

"The allegations are categorically untrue. The full budget of the film has been paid and certain overages are being settled. I cannot comment any further as the matter is now with my lawyers." - Ben Latham Jones, Head of Ealing Studios

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Julie Taymor's filmed Shakespeare play A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, set to be released in theaters next week, was the subject of a lawsuit involving entertainment producer Ben Latham-Jones who allegedly "disappeared." According to the site, he was being sued for breach of contract and fraud.

The lawsuit was filed in New York federal court yesterday by Artful Dodgers in Performance and the Theatre for a New Audience, who teamed up with award-winning director Taymor on a 2013 stage production of Midsummer Night's Dream.

Taymor later expressed interest in bringing the play to movie theaters and joined forces with Latham-Jones, a former creative director at Fox whose credits include the films Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine and Walk the Line. He now heads up Ealing Studios in the UK. Click here for all the details.

Acclaimed Director Julie Taymor's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' comes to theaters for one night only this Midsummer's Eve on June 22nd followed by select showings nationwide. Watch the official trailer below!

Fathom Events and Omniverse Vision partner to present "Julie Taymor's A Midsummer Night's Dream" in select cinemas on June 22 followed by showings at select theaters nationwide . The production is directed by Julie Taymor(Frida, The Magic Flute, Across The Universe, Titus) the visionary director of the smash hit Broadway show The Lion King.

Taymor presents a multi-camera film capturing the original 2014 live performance at the Theatre for a New Audience's Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn and blends the worlds of cinema and theater in the process. The film opened to rave reviews at last year's Toronto International Film Festival and boasts a stellar cast, including David Harewood (Homeland, Blood Diamond), Kathryn Hunter (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Tina Benko (The Avengers) and Max Casella (Blue Jasmine).

Of all Shakespeare's plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream is the most phantasmagorical, featuring fairies, spells, and hallucinatory lovers. Julie Taymor turns out a production that's visually breathtaking, funny, sexy and darkly poetic. Produced by Ealing Studios, Londinium Films, in association with Theatre for a New Audience Producers, Lynn Hendee (Ender's Game, The Tempest) and Ben Latham-Jones (Nina, The D-Train) joined forces with Taymor to create this exclusive filmed production.

With cinematography by the Academy Award nominee, Rodrigo Prieto (The Wolf of Wall Street, Argo), and music by Academy Award-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal (Frida, Heat ), this immersive, inventive cinematic experience brings Taymor's acclaimed production to the big screen, giving audiences from around the world the opportunity to see this critically lauded, sell-out show.



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