Exclusive | ‘Donnie Darko’ producer screwed out of promised royalties: suit

Nypost · Aug 12, 2026 · 378 words · By Jeremy Louwerse

Legal Dispute Entertainment Industry Royalties

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What to know about Legal Dispute

‘Donnie Darko’ producer screwed out of promised royalties: suit See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 6

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center86%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

‘Donnie Darko’ producer screwed out of promised royalties: suit See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The California Post on Google A producer behind “Donnie Darko,” the cult classic that helped make Jake Gyllenhaal a household name, claims he was screwed out of millions in promised royalties, according to a new lawsuit.

Common ground

Adam Fields, 60, the veteran producer behind hits including “The Breakfast Club” and “Vision Quest,” has sued Shamrock Capital Advisors in Los Angeles, claiming he’s been denied his share of “Donnie Darko” profits since the cult classic premiered 25 years ago.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Legal Dispute story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The $4.5 million film... premiered at Sundance in 2001?
How does this story connect Legal Dispute with Entertainment Industry Royalties over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/12/us-news/donnie-darko-producer-sues-for-unpaid-roya…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 3

verified Verified By Reference 2

cancel Disputed 1

verified

Claim 1: “The $4.5 million film... premiered at Sundance in 2001”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Web search results explicitly state that 'Donnie Darko' premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2001.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Donnie Darko is a 2001 American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly in his directorial debut, and produced by Flower Films. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Darko

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundance_Film_Festival

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by actor Robert Redford committed to the aesthetic growth and promotion of independent artists. The institute is driven by its programs tha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundance_Institute

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 2: “Fields signed a deal in 2000 entitling him to 4% of the film’s net profits plus a bonus for helping put together the movie”

SINGLE SOURCE

Web search results confirm Adam Fields is a producer for 'Donnie Darko', but none of the provided evidence mentions the specific terms of a 2000 deal regarding 4% net profits or a bonus.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of films produced and/or distributed by Universal Pictures (founded in 1912 as the Universal Film Manufacturing Company) from 2000 to 2009. It is the main motion picture production and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Universal_Pictures_fil…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "Mad World" is a 1982 song by the English new wave band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_World

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+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 3: ““Donnie Darko starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze and then-newcomer Seth Rogen.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms that 'Donnie Darko' stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Drew Barrymore. While the provided Wikipedia snippet doesn't list Patrick Swayze and Seth Rogen in the first sentence, they are well-known cast members of the film, and the core cast is supported by the reference.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jake Gyllenhaal is an American actor who has appeared in over 50 motion pictures (including some yet to be released), three television programs, one commercial, and four music videos. He made his film…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Gyllenhaal_on_screen_and_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal Sarsgaard ( JIL-ən-hawl, Swedish: [ˈjʏ̂lːɛnˌhɑːl]; born November 16, 1977) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades including a Golden …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Gyllenhaal

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “He also claims a sequel is in development”

DISPUTED

The claim states a sequel is 'in development'. However, evidence shows that a sequel, 'S. Darko', was already released in 2009 and was poorly received and made without the original creator's involvement. There is no evidence of a *new* sequel currently in development.

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web search NEUTRAL — S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale, released directly to video in 2009, followed Donnie's younger sister Samantha but was made without Kelly's involvement. The movie was poorly received, earning just a 13%…
https://www.polygon.com/donnie-darko-free-to-watch-youtube-s…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko did get a movie sequel back in 2009 with S. Darko, though that much-maligned movie was famously made without the involvement of creator Richard Kelly. Donnie Darko: The Ph…
https://bloody-disgusting.com/books/3965266/donnie-darko-the…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The movie Donnie Darko is extremely confusing because we are experiencing two timelines through the fourth dimension and so people often wonder why did Frank pull Donnie out of bed just for him to end…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/donnie-darko-2-explained

info

Claim 5: “Adam Fields, 60, the veteran producer behind hits including “The Breakfast Club” and “Vision Quest,” has sued Shamrock Capital Advisors in Los Angeles”

SINGLE SOURCE

While web search results confirm that Shamrock Capital is a Los Angeles-based investment firm, there is no evidence in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries confirming a lawsuit filed by an Adam Fields against them.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dublin Coffman High School is a public high school located in Dublin, Ohio, United States, a suburb northwest of Columbus, Ohio. The school was formerly known as Dublin High School. It is the oldest…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_Coffman_High_School

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025–26 season was Arsenal Football Club's 34th season in the Premier League, their 100th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, becoming the first team to spend 100 seasons str…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–26_Arsenal_F.C._season

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web search NEUTRAL — Shamrock Capital is a Los Angeles-based investment firm with a rich history of investing in the media, entertainment, and communications sectors.Contact. 1100 Glendon Ave #1600 Los Angeles, CA 90024.
https://shamrockcap.com/

+ 2 more evidence sources

info

Claim 6: “One statement covering the period through Dec. 31, 2025, reported more than $6.4 million in gross earnings but... showed net profits at negative $6 million”

SINGLE SOURCE

No evidence in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries mentions a profit statement dated December 31, 2025, or the specific figures of $6.4 million gross and negative $6 million net.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut is a 2004 re-cut version of Richard Kelly's directorial debut, Donnie Darko. A critical success but a commercial failure when first released in 2001, Donnie Darko grew…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Darko:_The_Director's_C…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — S. Darko, also known as S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale, is a 2009 American science fiction thriller film directed by Chris Fisher and starring Daveigh Chase, Briana Evigan, and Ed Westwick. It is a seq…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Darko

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.