'Mean Girls' author plans to take legal action for not receiving promised pay

Writer Rosalind Wiseman says she did not get a single penny for the 'Mean Girls' musical or new movie

Mean Girls, the iconic teen comedy film, has maintained its global popularity and cult following since its release a decade ago.

Even though the film grossed $130 million worldwide at the box office, the writer Rosalind Wiseman has revealed to New York Post that she has not received any of the profits she was promised following the movie's success.

Directed by Mark Waters, and starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried the film was inspired by a book titled Queen Bees and Wannabees, which was used as the source for Tina Fey's script, for just over $400,000 in 2002.

Speaking to the publication, the book's author, Wiseman disclosed that she was told there were no profits to share with her due to extra costs incurred by the studio, Paramount Pictures.

Although Wiseman signed over all rights she had to Mean Girls movies or derivative projects, such as the musical based on the movie, as part of the agreement, her contract contained a provision for net profits from the 2004 movie depending on its box office success.

Wiseman's lawyer, Ryan Keech, also told the outlet that they want an audit of Paramount's books. "I suspect most people would be shocked at how shabbily Rosalind Wiseman has been treated," said Keech. "And properly so. It is nothing short of shameful for a company with the resources of Paramount to go to the lengths to which it has gone to deny Ms Wiseman what she is fairly entitled to for having created what has become one of the most iconic entertainment franchises of the last 25 years."

Wiseman also criticised Fey for not being more supportive of her in this ordeal. "It was very much a 'we're doing this together' kind of experience," Wiseman said. "For me, having a female writer and not having that happen has not only been difficult because of the money but it's also been painful, very painful. It's really what my work has been about, especially Mean Girls. Women don't have to be best friends — we can get mad at each other, but when it comes down to it we need to actually support each other."

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