Creator of hit TV series 'The Walking Dead' sues AMC

[December 18, 2013]  (Reuters) —  The creator behind the hit TV series "The Walking Dead" is suing the cable network AMC claiming that he was cheated out of profits.

Frank Darabont, who developed the TV show about a zombie apocalypse and was fired after the first season, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in a New York State Supreme Court.

Darabont said that the way AMC is calculating the show's licensing fees is depriving him and other participants of tens of millions of dollars, the lawsuit stated.

AMC spokesman Jim Maiella declined to comment.

Based on a comic book series by the same name, "The Walking Dead" follows a sheriff's deputy as he tries to save survivors from flesh-eating zombies.

Already in its fourth season, the series has been a huge success. In October its season premier drew its largest audience in the show's history with more than 16 million viewers.

AMC, owned by AMC Networks Inc, is also home to the hit series "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad".

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the lawsuit.

(Reporting by Jennifer Saba in New York; additional reporting by Rohit T.K. in Bangalore; editing by Jeremy Laurence)

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