Entertainment

The Nun actor Bonnie Aarons takes Warner Bros to court over earnings dispute

Sweta GuptaAugust 18, 2023 | 18:35 IST

Guess what? The actor who gives us the creeps as the spooky nun in the big-money Conjuring movies is taking Warner Bros to court.

Actress Bonnie Aarons, known for her role in 'The Nun,' is taking legal action against Warner Bros.

She says the studio is keeping the real money they made from selling things with her character's look a secret.

According to the lawsuit, her contract includes a clause entitling her to a portion of the earnings Warner Bros obtains from merchandise that uses her likeness.

What

  • This all started when Bonnie Aarons first scared us as the nun named "Valak" in The Conjuring 2 back in 2016.

  • The movie was such a hit that they made more movies just about her, like The Nun in 2018, and now there's another one called The Nun 2 coming on September 8.

  • Bonnie Aarons isn't playing around - she filed a complaint in court against Warner Bros, New Line Cinema, and Scope Productions.

  • She says they paid her a fixed amount of $71,500 (INR 59 lakh) for The Nun.

  • Plus, a bonus of $175,000 (INR 1 crore 45 lakh) bonus that was linked to how much money the movie made.

And guess what? The movie made over $365 million against a budget of just $22 million.

 

Breach of contract

  • In the papers, it's written that Bonnie Aarons was supposed to get some money based on how much they sell.
  • They promised her a part of the money, like 5% of half of all the money they make from selling things with her face on them.
  • "Instead of accounting and paying in a transparent fashion, Warner Bros obscures and hides the true amount of Ms Aarons' rightful share of merchandising revenues, all while continuing to exploit her," states Aarons' lawsuit, reported by The Guardian.
  • The things they're selling include toys, dolls, jewelry, clothes, and more that look like her.

Between 2019 and 2022, Warner Bros sent her papers that showed how much money she's supposed to get which she thinks don't match up.

The seven movies in "the Conjuring Universe" - including The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Conjuring 2, Annabelle: Creation, The Nun, Annabelle Comes Home, and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It - have made over $2 billion from theaters around the world.

Last updated: August 18, 2023 | 18:35
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