Martin Scorsese settles lawsuit with screenwriter who sued him for taking $500K to develop a WWII movie - then 'doing nothing' to get it off the ground

Martin Scorsese has settled a lawsuit against him, in which he was accused of doing nothing to help develop a World War II movie after getting paid $500,000.

Simon Afram, who wrote the screenplay, titled Operation: Fortitude, claimed that the legendary filmmaker, 81, 'did not lift a finger to' assist him or his team get their project off the ground, despite accepting the initial six-figure payment to serve as an executive producer.

Despite their ambitious plans to begin production in 2022, just months after hiring  Scorsese, the aspiring filmmakers claimed in their suit that they couldn't even 'talk directly' with him as his managers repeatedly insisted he was 'too busy.'

'Defendants never made Mr. Scorsese available for a single phone call, meeting or other interaction,' the lawsuit alleged. 

Martin Scorsese has settled a lawsuit against him, in which he was accused of doing nothing to help develop a World War II movie after getting paid $500,000 (seen earlier this month)

After feeling that that Scorsese was no longer interested in the project, Variety reveals the screenwriter and team 'asked for their money back and didn't get it.'

In a cross-complaint, however, Scorsese's lawyers stated that he 'personally identified several accomplished directors who might be good for the project and reached out to them through his representatives' but 'none were interested.'

'The expectation of those new to the film industry is that a great idea or script will instantly be transformed into an Academy Award-winning work of art, when the reality is that it can take many years to even attempt to develop a movie,' Scorsese's attorneys wrote. 

Scorsese's cross-complaint pointed out that his 2019 film, The Irishman, which earned 10 Oscar nominations, took 12 years to develop and produce. 

The Hollywood icon, who is considered one of the most influential and greatest filmmakers of all time, pointed out that Afram lacks experience in the industry.

According to Variety, Scorsese's attorneys 'argued that he was simply not familiar with what it takes to get a movie off the ground.' 

'This case presents the classic example of the novice filmmaker who refuses to appreciate the stark difference between expectation and reality in the filmmaking business, to the detriment of all involved,' wrote the director's lawyers. 

At this time, Afram only has 'two unproduced scripts to his name' and has 'spent years fruitlessly trying to develop Operation: Fortitude. 

Simon Afram, who wrote the screenplay, titled Operation: Fortitude, claimed that the legendary filmmaker, 81, 'did not lift a finger to' assist him or his team get their project off the ground, despite accepting the initial six-figure payment to serve as an executive producer

Despite their ambitious plans to begin production in 2022, just months after hiring Scorsese, the aspiring filmmakers claimed in their suit that they couldn't even 'talk directly' with him as his managers repeatedly insisted he was 'too busy'

Scorsese's team also claimed that 'it was in fact the plaintiffs who owed' their client '$500,000 — the second installment guaranteed by the contract.' 

In Afram's lawsuit, filed in May 2023, he alleged that hiring 'Scorsese had cost' him and his team '$500,000 and 15 wasted months.' 

'Op-Fortitude' has still not completed assembling its cast and crew and has not been able to begin the production process in earnest,' the lawsuit read. 'Op-Fortitude' has instead been forced to essentially begin from scratch.' 

On Thursday, following a year of arguing, 'the plaintiffs filed a notice' indicating their the case had finally been settled.

Details of their settlement were not made public.