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The Nun, a spinoff franchise to the original Conjuring films, has started facing the wrath of The Nun herself. On Tuesday, August 15, Bonnie Aarons, the actor who portrays the terrifying figure of demon Valak, allegedly filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over faking merchandise revenue. The actor first appeared as the fabled nun in Conjuring 2, and as it hit off so well, she was given her own set of films, including the upcoming The Nun 2, which will premiere on September 8, 2023.
Bonnie Aarons, whose look is integral to the creation of the character, which does not use prosthetics or CGI, claims that her contract includes "a share of Warner Bros.’ gross receipts from merchandise exploiting Ms. Aarons’ likeness." According to the lawsuit filed in in Los Angeles Superior Court, WB allegedly violated this aspect by hiding the real amount of merchandise sales and not giving her the deserved profit.
The lawsuit claimed that Aarons was promised a "pro-rata share of 5% of 50% of the gross receipts" from the licensing of merchandising rights, but between 2019 and 2022, the written statements from WB were "inconsistent with the extensive merchandising activities" for her character.
WB has so far refused to comment on the situation.
How much does WB owe Bonnie Aarons for The Nun?
While the exact figure is not mentioned in the lawsuit, it is stated that Bonnie Aarons was paid only $71,500 for her work. She was allegedly not handed the bonus that was promised for the success of the film. The film, which had a budget of $22 million, earned over $365 million.
According to reports, the actor is also owed a $175,000 bonus tied to box office performance on top of a share of profits from merchandise. As for the merchandise, the number is not very clear. The lawsuit did state that this includes "toys, dolls, decorations, pins, jewelry, T-shirts, socks, bedding, costumes, drinkware, and posters all using Ms. Aarons’ likeness," which is almost everything based on Valak.
Aaron's lawsuit further states:
"Instead of accounting and paying in a transparent fashion, Warner Bros obscures and hides the true amount of Ms Aarons’ rightful share of merchandising revenues, all while continuing to exploit her."
The film universe, which contains The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Conjuring 2, Annabelle: Creation, The Nun, Annabelle Comes Home, and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, has collectively grossed over $2 billion at the box office.
The Nun is one of the most successful entries in the franchise.
The lawsuit further gains ground because the popular nun's image is purely based on Bonnie's look with very few additions. In a previous interview with WGTC, Aarons noted:
"There are no prosthetics, and my face was hand-painted by the incredible Eleanor Sabaduquia. She hand-painted my face every single time, and it had to do with performance and the direction of Corin Hardy."
WB's silence on the issue is also sure to spark some uproar if the issue is not resolved immediately.
Bonnie Aarons will appear in The Nun 2 and possibly other sequels in the universe. The upcoming film stars Jonas Bloquet as Frenchie, Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene, Anna Popplewell as Kate, and Storm Reid.
The film will premiere theatrically on September 8, 2023.
