Overture FilmsRobert De Niro and Al Pacino apparently do not believe they were paid in a timely manner.
The heavy hitters ganged up on watchmaker Tutima today in federal court, accusing the German timepiece purveyor of using unauthorized scenes of them in Righteous Kill to advertise its products.
"De Niro's and Pacino's policies concerning commercial endorsements and tie-ins are common knowledge in the entertainment industry," states the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
(Possible translation: They like to get paid for such things.)
Their complaint states that Tutima, with the blessing of codefendant Overture Films, used pictures of their characters in Righteous Kill in a tie-in print advertisement and a clip from the Razzie-nominated thriller on its website—all of which allegedly led potential buyers to think De Niro and Pacino were endorsing the brand.
"Pacino, over the course of his lengthy career, has never commercially endorsed any product or service in the United States," while De Niro has only done so under "very specific and compelling circumstances."
Per their complaint, both actors signed talent agreements in 2007 that prohibited use of their names and images to peddle merchandise without written consent.
And "had their permission been sought, both De Niro and Pacino would have flatly refused to consent to the use of their names, voices and/or likenesses in connection with the tie-in," the suit continued.
The onetime Godfather Part 2 costars are seeking unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of right of publicity and privacy.
Overture Films, which distributed Righteous Kill, expressed surprise that De Niro and Pacino were dredging the issue up now, nearly six months after the film's theatrical release.
"We are surprised by this action as Overture Films has not received any communication on this matter for months from Pacino, De Niro or their representatives," the company said in a statement. "We take lawsuits very seriously and our legal team is addressing the issue."