‘The Nun’ Star Sues Warner Bros. Over Movie Merchandise Revenue Using Her Likeness

Brendan Menapace

Bonnie Aarons, an actor as the titular role in the horror movie series “The Nun, “The Nun 2,” and “The Conjuring 2” is suing Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and Scope Productions for not receiving what she called her “contractually required share of merchandising revenues,” after the studios used her likeness for merchandise.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Warner Bros. Grossed more than $365 million in box office revenue from “The Nun,” and Aarons was paid $71,500 for her role in the first film, with $175,000 with bonuses tied to the box office revenue. As for the merchandise, though, she claims that she was promised a “pro-rata share of 5% of 50% of the gross receipts” from licensing merchandising rights.

After the success of the franchise, the studios apparently started selling all sorts of promotional items, like toys, dolls, pins, jewelry, apparel, socks, bedding, costumes, drinkware, print products, and more.

Her suit contends that, while so many horror movie “monsters” are created with CGI or elaborate masks, hers uses her actual face, and therefore, she’s entitled to compensation from merchandise that uses her likeness.

“A significant portion of all merchandise for the Conjuring Cinematic Universe uses Ms. Aarons’ likeness because Value is its most popular character and there are no logos associated with franchise to use on merchandise,” her suit says, according to the LA times.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. If Aarons didn’t get a guarantee in writing, there’s not a lot she can do. But, it shows the importance of branded merchandising in movie advertising, since this was a way to get modern viewers to pay attention to the intellectual property and go see the movies.

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