Zoom Image
Tina Ruland and Til Schweiger in »Manta, Manta«
Photo: Mary Evans / IMAGO
Even more accusations are being made around »Manta Manta – Zwoter Teil« and Til Schweiger. This time it's about the screenplay for the comedy, which is based on a 1991 movie. The author has filed a lawsuit against the production company Constantin Film.
The allegations: Stefan Cantz, screenwriter of Part One, was not asked, involved or even rewarded in the development of the follow-up film. He says that his contract from the nineties allows a remake of his book – but not its further development. For this reason, a 31-page statement of claim has been available since Thursday at the Munich Regional Court under file number 42 O 6331/23. SPIEGEL was also able to see them. The court has not yet been able to confirm this procedure.
According to the complaint, the sequel is based on the fable of the first film. Not only individual characters can be found, but also the distribution of roles between the main and secondary characters and their relationships to each other. But all this is protected by copyright.
Constantin does not want to comment
The Constantin production and Til Schweiger had ignored him in the project, Cantz told SPIEGEL on the phone. He had learned from third parties that there would be a second part of his film. »The way Constantin behaves towards authors like me is frustrating and annoying.«
When Cantz asked Constantin about »Manta Manta – Zwoter Teil«, he was told that the production company did not see him as the author of the film. Rather, everything had been given to him at the time, he had merely written it down, Cantz was told – this is how Cantz also described it to the »Süddeutsche Zeitung«.
According to his own statements, the screenwriter has been receiving royalties for the film for more than 30 years. And so far he has been named as the only author of the first part. It is completely absurd that Constantin is now claiming through her lawyers that he is not the author at all, according to Cantz's lawyers. The 67-year-old does not want to be intimidated as easily as perhaps younger colleagues, who are threatened with consequences for their careers if they rebel. He called for more respect for his profession.
At the request of SPIEGEL, Constantin said that it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
Anika Decker also argues about fair remuneration
Apparently, however, it was intended to prevent Cantz from being awarded a claim for additional remuneration. That's why author and director Anika Decker has been arguing with Til Schweiger in a similar case for five years. She wrote the screenplays for »Keinohrhasen« and »Zweiohrküken«, two of Schweiger's biggest hits. However, their remuneration is grossly disproportionate to the income that Schweiger has generated with his production company. According to the so-called "fairness paragraph" in German copyright law, compensation must be paid in such cases.
For weeks, the industry has been discussing working conditions in the German film industry. This was triggered by serious allegations against Til Schweiger during the filming of »Manta Manta – Zwoter Teil«. He is said to have harassed people during film shoots – sometimes violently. In addition, a young extra is said to have been filmed topless on set after a spontaneous idea by director Schweigers. It is about abuse of power, which is said to have been initially covered up by the production company Constantin, but finally investigations were initiated.
CPA/EVH