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Gilmore Girls: Original producer Gavin Polone files lawsuit over upcoming Netflix reboot

Polone claims breach-of-contract and is demanding at least $195,000 damages from Warner Bros TV

Jess Denham
Tuesday 12 April 2016 07:14 EDT
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Gavin Polone was executive producer on all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls from 2000 to 2007
Gavin Polone was executive producer on all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls from 2000 to 2007 (Getty Images)

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Melissa McCarthy might be bringing Sookie back but all is far from rosy in Stars Hollow.

Gavin Polone, who produced all seven seasons of the original Gilmore Girls, has filed a $195,000 breach-of-contract lawsuit against Warner Bros TV, arguing that he should have received compensation for the upcoming Netflix reboot.

Polone, who has listed his production company Hofflund/Polone as the plaintiff, has also demanded a jury trial.

Court documents obtained by Deadline state that Polone’s representative “reached out” to Warner Bros regarding compensation “upon learning that production had begun on the subsequent episodes”.

The documents allege that WBTV refused to compensate Polone “in any way” and argued that the new episodes are “derivative works based on the television series Gilmore Girls”.

Polone claims that a deal made with WBTV in 2000 entitles him to $32,500 for each episode produced after 2003.

He alleges that WBTV is declining to pay him because the new episodes will premiere on Netflix “rather than a traditional broadcast network” and therefore not be considered a television series.

The Gilmore Girls revival was announced in January, with the original cast confirmed to return for four one-hour long episodes.

WBTV is currently declining to comment on the lawsuit.

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