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 U.S. District Judge Denise Cote's dismissal of four of Allen's
eight claims means the filmmaker will have to show that Amazon
wrongly abandoned agreements for individual films.
She dismissed claims covering two alleged breaches of the Aug.
2017 multi-picture agreement, an unjust enrichment claim, and an
alleged breach related to the first film, the completed "A Rainy
Day in New York."
Allen, 83, had sued two Amazon units in February, claiming they
could not abandon their distribution plans because of a
"baseless" allegation that he had molested his adopted daughter
Dylan Farrow in 1992.
The allegation had gained renewed prominence in the #MeToo
movement, which began in late 2017.
Allen has long denied the allegation, which was also made by
Farrow's mother Mia Farrow, who appeared in a dozen of his films
and was his longtime partner. He has not been charged.
Lawyers for Allen did not immediately respond to requests for
comment. Amazon's lawyer Moez Kaba declined to comment.
Cote said Allen and his Gravier Productions Inc failed to allege
an "actionable breach" of his so-called multi-picture
acquisition agreement, or MAA.
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"The MAA provides certain benefits to Amazon, such as an exclusive
'first look' at Allen's subsequent literary and visual materials and
the right to publicize the parties' agreements, but the plaintiffs
do not allege that they suffered damages from the termination of
these provisions," the judge wrote.
Allen had originally sued Amazon Content Services LLC and Amazon
Studios LLC. The latter is no longer a defendant because it had
faced only the now-dismissed unjust enrichment claim.
Allen has won four Oscars, including best director for 1977's "Annie
Hall," which also won best picture, and several actresses have won
Oscars for work in his movies.
But the filmmaker has seen modest commercial returns for many of his
films since his bitter breakup with Mia Farrow. Some actors and
actresses have expressed regret for appearing in his films after
Dylan Farrow's allegation gained renewed attention.
Variety said in May that Amazon had returned to Allen the domestic
distribution rights for "A Rainy Day in New York." The film is being
released in Europe, according to media reports.
The case is Gravier Productions Inc et al v Amazon Content Services
LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.
19-01169.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Bill Berkrot)
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