Rebel Wilson’s $900,000 lawsuit against the producers of The Deb suffered a major blow this week. Judge Thomas Long dismissed six of seven claims, including fraud and breach of contract.
Wilson now has only an emotional distress claim against producer Amanda Ghost. Her ambitious legal fight has been sharply reduced to a single remaining claim.
The Setup
The Deb is Wilson’s directorial debut film. The $22 million production, filmed in Australia, descended into conflict over credits and finances. Wilson accused producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden of stealing approximately $600,000 from the budget.
She also accused them of sexual harassment and sabotage. The producers denied everything and sued Wilson for defamation.
The Trigger
In July 2024, Wilson posted an Instagram video accusing the producers of “absolute viciousness” and theft. She claimed producer Amanda Ghost harassed lead actress Charlotte MacInnes.
She said Ghost blocked her directorial credit and stole her music rights. The producers immediately denied these claims. They argued Wilson demanded unearned screenplay and songwriting credits.
Tit for Tat
The producers countersued, claiming Wilson fabricated harassment allegations to get writing credits. The Australian Writers Guild gave full screenplay credit to original writer Hannah Riley.
Wilson received only “additional writing by” credit. The producers argued in court that Wilson used false theft claims to force credit changes. By fall 2024, Wilson filed a cross-complaint against them.
The Ruling
On January 14, 2026, Judge Long dismissed six of Wilson’s seven claims. He ruled her allegations were either vague or irrelevant. The dismissed claims included fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and sexual harassment.
Judge Long also rejected her request to refile her claims. Only her emotional distress claim and limited contract claims survived.
The Judge’s Reasoning
Judge Thomas Long works in Department 48 at the Los Angeles courthouse. Long found Wilson’s allegations lacked specific facts.
He ruled her claims about Ghost stealing music rights and harassing MacInnes had nothing to do with contract breaches.
Long said Wilson needed hard evidence, not just legal arguments. Her allegations needed real factual support.
The Emotional Distress Claim Survives
Wilson has one remaining claim: intentional infliction of emotional distress against Amanda Ghost. This claim does not require proving fraud or theft.
Wilson only needs to show that Ghost acted outrageously and caused her severe emotional harm.
Judge Long allowed this claim because Wilson described specific incidents. However, this claim is harder to win and offers smaller damages.
The Australian Domino Effect
Wilson faced another legal setback in Australia. In late 2025, the New South Wales Supreme Court dismissed her related claims there. This blocked her attempts to pursue theft allegations in Australian courts.
The Australian ruling hurt her Los Angeles case. Courts in both countries found the evidence of her theft and fraud insufficient to proceed.
The Smear Website Discovery Twist
Judge Long granted Ghost a procedural advantage. He approved the discovery of allegations that Wilson created smear websites. One site was called “amandaghostsucks.com.” Wilson worked with TAG PR, a crisis management firm.
Ghost’s lawyers compared this to the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni dispute. This discovery could expose Wilson’s own conduct. Her fraud claims collapsed, but now she faces questions about her tactics.
The Credit Wars Backstory
This lawsuit started over creative credit disputes. Wilson wanted a screenplay and songwriting credit for The Deb. She argued she contributed substantially to the script. The Australian Writers Guild disagreed and gave full credit to the original writer, Hannah Riley.
Wilson also sought music ownership rights. The producers argued Wilson used false theft allegations to force credit changes.
The Burden Shifts
Wilson must now prove emotional distress, which is subjective and hard to document. The producers can pursue their defamation case against Wilson. They argue her theft claims were lies designed to harm their reputations.
Discovery into the smear websites means Wilson’s crisis PR tactics face scrutiny. Judge Long’s ruling flipped the narrative from producer wrongdoing to director retaliation.
The Defamation Countersuit
The producers’ defamation lawsuit against Wilson remains active. They claim her theft allegations on Instagram and in court are false. These claims damaged Ghost, Cameron, Holden, and their company, AI Film.
The producers must prove Wilson’s statements were knowingly false or recklessly untrue. Wilson’s failure to prove fraud in court weakens her defamation defense.
The Film’s Fate
The Deb remains unreleased. The film never premiered at a major festival or found distribution. WME served as the sales agent but found no buyers. The legal battle poisoned relationships between the parties.
Streaming services and distributors avoid films trapped in director-producer litigation. For Wilson, the unreleased film is more damaging than the legal loss.
The Money Problem
Wilson alleged producers stole approximately $600,000 from the $22 million budget through inflated fees and hidden payments. Judge Long’s dismissal of fraud claims eliminates her path to recovering these funds.
Her remaining contract claim against AI Film may recover only unpaid fees. She cannot recover fraud penalties or punitive damages. The financial stakes dropped dramatically.
The Appeal Question
Wilson’s attorney, Melody A. Kramer, must decide whether to appeal or settle. An appeal would argue that Judge Long wrongly dismissed claims that could survive.
However, appellate courts typically respect trial judges’ rulings on pleading questions. Appeal success requires proving a clear legal error. Settlement talks may offer Wilson a better path forward.
The Industry Watchlist
Judge Long’s ruling affects independent filmmakers and producers. The case shows the dangers of co-productions without clear contractual rules.
Industry attorneys note Wilson’s failure to document theft with receipts and bank records weakened her case.
This ruling teaches future filmmakers the importance of written contracts and financial documentation.
The Me Too Dimension
Wilson’s harassment allegations raised #MeToo concerns about producer misconduct. Judge Long’s dismissal suggests courts may separate harassment claims from financial disputes.
The ruling signals that harassment claims need separate evidence. This affects how filmmakers and actors frame workplace misconduct in litigation, especially in cases involving financial claims.
The Public Perception Gap
Social media supporters believed Wilson’s theft allegations without legal proof. Her Instagram video and media coverage widely spread the accusation. Judge Long’s ruling revealed that the allegations lacked sufficient evidence.
This shows a disconnect: social media spreads narratives fast, but courts demand documented proof. Wilson won public support but lost in court.
The Historical Parallel
Director-producer conflicts have occurred in prestige television production. However, independent film disputes differ from television: smaller budgets, closer relationships, and fewer formal rules.
Courts traditionally favor producers in credit disputes without explicit contracts. Wilson’s loss reinforces the need forclear written agreements, not just creative assertions.
The Bottom Line
Wilson’s lawsuit against The Deb producers collapsed under legal scrutiny. Judge Long deemed her allegations inadequately pleaded and unsupported by evidence.
She has one emotional distress claim remaining, which is hard to prove and offers small damages. She also faces discovery about her own crisis PR tactics. The lesson: social media accusations cannot replace documented evidence in court.
Sources:
- Deadline – Rebel Wilson Suffers Blow In Legal Fight With ‘The Deb’ – January 15, 2026
- The Hollywood Reporter – Court Dismisses Rebel Wilson’s Lawsuit Against ‘The Deb’ – January 14, 2026
- Rolling Stone – Judge Guts Rebel Wilson’s Lawsuit, Allows Probe of ‘The Deb’ Smear Campaign – January 13, 2026
- Tribune – Rebel Wilson’s Lawsuit Over ‘The Deb’ Gutted as Judge Dismisses Claims – January 14, 2026
- Variety – Rebel Wilson Lawsuit Drastically Scaled Back by L.A. Judge – January 16, 2026
- Deadline – How Rebel Wilson’s ‘The Deb’ Descended Into Chaos – December 12, 2025