American screenwriter Jack Barth has publicly accused acclaimed British filmmaker Richard Curtis and his wife, Emma Freud, of being "arrogant pigs" and attempting to erase his creative contributions to the 2019 film "Yesterday" and its upcoming West End musical adaptation.
Barth claims that despite his foundational role in developing the story, he has not been contacted by Curtis, Freud, or their production company, Working Title, regarding the musical's progress, which has already undergone workshops and script revisions.
"I feel it’s rather despicable of them to have gotten this far without ever contacting me," Barth stated. "They’ve done everything in their immense power to obscure my contribution and divert all the credit for my ideas over to Mr Curtis."
Barth developed a screenplay titled "Cover Version" in 2012, which featured a struggling musician who becomes the sole individual remembering The Beatles and subsequently passes off their songs as his own. Working Title, the production company behind films like "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill," acquired the screenplay. The 2019 film "Yesterday," starring Himesh Patel and Lily James, was directed by Danny Boyle and achieved over $125 million globally. However, Barth received only a joint "story by" credit, while Curtis was solely credited for the screenplay.
Barth acknowledged in 2020 that Curtis had transformed his "gritty" concept into a romantic comedy. Working Title previously stated that Barth was "well paid" for his "great idea" and that Curtis had written a screenplay based on his original concept.
The current dispute intensified after Freud announced the granting of permission for The Beatles' songs to be used in the West End musical, which she and Curtis are writing, with Danny Boyle directing. Freud described the agreement as a "huge deal," marking the first time audiences could "kind of legally see The Beatles’ music" in a stage production.
Barth asserts that he is slated to receive only a "shockingly low" fixed payment for the stage adaptation and no share of its profits. He also revealed that he had previously instructed a lawyer to pursue a claim regarding perceived damages, which proved fruitless.
"My only hope for any satisfaction is taking it to the court of public opinion," Barth said. He is seeking public acknowledgment of his original contribution and a renegotiation of his profit participation.
Representatives for Curtis, Freud, and Working Title were contacted for comment.