Jacko Sued By "Thriller" Video Director

Michael Jackson has seen some good and bad news in the last 24 hours. It was first announced that a Thriller musical is in the works, but now Jackson's being sued by John Landis, the director of Jackson's legendary "Thriller" music video.

Landis is suing Jackson over unpaid royalties, according to The Wrap website. Landis claims Jackson hasn't paid him in more than four years. The director filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court last week that accused Jackson of "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct." Landis is thought to be seeking $1 million U.S. (about $1.2 million Canadian) in damages.

Landis and his company, Levistky Productions, claim Jackson hasn't provided them with any accounts of profits from the video over the last four years ("and earlier"), nor has he paid Landis the 50 per cent of net proceeds to which he says he's legally entitled.

Landis directed the video and co-wrote it with Jackson. The two parties signed a contract while the video was in production in 1983 that stated that Landis is entitled to 50 per cent of the video's net profits along with annual financial statements on its revenues, according to The Wrap.

Jackson recently sold the rights to "Thriller" to Nederlander Organization so they can make a Broadway musical based on the video. It's not known whether Landis' lawsuit will have any effect on the production, which Jackson will help create.

Jackson is rumoured to have settled a recent lawsuit filed against him by one of the king of Bahrain's sons. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Khalifa sued Jackson in November for breach of contract, claiming he'd agreed to write an album and autobiography in Bahrain, but backed out. Jackson gave up the deed to his $23.5 million Neverland ranch the same month.