'Walking Dead' creator Frank Darabont sues AMC for profits

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Frank Darabont adapted the popular Walking Dead comic book series for AMC back in 2010 and worked as its showrunner until the middle of season 2, when he was suddenly fired over reported budget concerns.

Darabont and his management firm, Creative Artists Agency, now says the the network owes him "tens of millions of dollars" in unpaid licensing revenue. His lawyers say the network scammed its way out of paying him.

In court documents filed Tuesday with the Manhattan Supreme Court, Darabont accused AMC of securing more profits from the show by paying its production affiliate below-market rates. Darabont said the deal cost him up to 12.5 percent in profits.

"Darabont is being deprived of tens of millions of dollars in profits, despite delivering to AMC the most popular show on all of television and the most popular show in the history of cable," the complaint read.

Despite it's HR shakeups, The Walking Dead is a monster hit. It's fourth season premiere drew a whopping 16.1 million viewers last October.

[Los Angeles Times, New York Post]