‘Scream’ Producer Cathy Konrad Signs First-Look Deal With Fisher Stevens’ Insurgent Media | Hollywood Reporter | August 5, 2016
Veteran film and TV producer Cathy Konrad — behind the first three Scream titles and its recent TV adaptation for MTV — has signed a first-look deal with Insurgent Media, the production house headed by Oscar-winning multi-hyphenate Fisher Stevens.
Announced on Friday, the first project to be developed under the deal is Cicada 3301, an espionage TV thriller based on the real-life global code-breaking phenomenon that has, since 2012, posted puzzles online with the reported aim of recruit “highly intelligent individuals.” Konrad will produce alongside Ezna Sands and Ashley Richardson for Insurgent Media.
“I have been fortunate in my career to work with partners who share my taste and passion for both genre and character stories,” said Konrad. “While working with the Insurgent team, it has become clear, very quickly, that we share a similar aesthetic and sensibility for storytelling, and that we are in sync with regards to the talent we want to be in business with and support creatively.”
Insurgent, based in New York and Los Angeles, was behind the 2014 Netflix environmental documentary Mission Blue.
Weinsteins Pay to Settle Producer Cathy Konrad’s ‘Scream 4’ Lawsuit (Exclusive) | Hollywood Reporter | April 5, 2011
Scream 4 will hit theaters April 15 without the specter of a lawsuit hovering over the horror sequel. Distributor the Weinstein Co. has paid to settle a $3 million claim filed by producer Cathy Konrad, who alleged she was booted from the fourth installment of the franchise after it was developed behind her back.
Terms of the settlement, which was reached a few months ago but has gone unreported until now, have not been disclosed. However, sources tell THR that Konrad is getting a cash payment from TWC and a very small portion of the back end on the film.
We broke the news last May that Konrad and her Cat Entertainment had sued in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming she was responsible for the development of the lucrative Scream franchise and was entitled to a first opportunity to produce any sequels on the same financial terms as Scream 3, for which she received $550,000 pay-or-play plus $100,000 bonuses for domestic boxoffice targets of $75 million, $100 million, $110 million and $125 million.
Konrad claimed she had planned to be involved in the fourth film, directed by Wes Craven, but she learned from media reports that TWC was planning to restart the horror series and release another installment in 2011 without including her.
The suit alleged that the Weinsteins booted her based on the “false pretext” that her producing services were to be exclusive to the project, which she says was not a requirement on Scream 3. She claimed that the Weinsteins actually excluded her to lower costs and to hire Craven’s wife instead of Konrad.TWC attorney Bert Fieldsdenied the allegations at the time.
Fields and Konrad’s attorney declined to comment on the settlement.