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Executive producer Leonora Ann Darby has filed a lawsuit in California state court against Tea Shop Productions co-founders James Harris and Mark Lane, alleging they reneged on a 2024 agreement to treat her as an equal producer at the company and cut her out of profits from "Obsession."
Darby was formally credited as an executive producer on the film, but the lawsuit argues she functioned as a lead producer under Tea Shop Productions' internal structure. "Obsession" has crossed $500 million worldwide on a reported production budget of $750,000.
Darby joined Tea Shop Productions in 2019 as a development and production executive and rose to become one of the company's three producers alongside Harris and Lane.
She has produced the thrillers "The Surfer" (2024) and "Tornado" (2025) and the horror film "A Banquet" (2021).
In 2024, she negotiated compensation terms entitling her to one-third of net profits on films she lead-produced, along with participation in collection account management agreements.
According to the lawsuit, Darby became involved in "Obsession" after the film's edit was taken from director Curry Barker and given to another editor, an arrangement the complaint says hurt the project. Darby called for the edit to be restored to Barker and for reshoots to address issues in the film; both occurred.
The lawsuit also states her creative input shaped the film's opening character setup, its arcs across the first two acts and the decision to fully commit to its supernatural elements.
She later helped finalize the film for its delivery to the Toronto International Film Festival, where it sold to Focus Features for $16.2 million.
The lawsuit alleges that once "Obsession" became a hit, Harris and Lane breached the 2024 agreement. It states Darby was not invited to participate in a Hollywood Reporter feature on the film's producers, was excluded from the premiere and was told the film would be the one project on which she received no continuing participation.
The complaint states Darby raised the issue of proceeds with Harris in the spring, after which Harris offered her an initial payment of $300,000 with an understanding that she would continue to participate in net profits.
According to the lawsuit, her access to collection account management information was later withdrawn.
In June, the company proposed a new consulting arrangement; when Darby sought assurance it would not negate her profit claim, Lane said future compensation would be considered "where we (Harris and Lane) feel appropriate."
Tea Shop Productions later withdrew that proposal in favor of a first-look agreement that explicitly excluded her from "Obsession" profits.
"Ms. Darby has brought serious and substantial claims, supported by a detailed factual record," said her lawyer, Thomas K. Richards, a partner at Singh, Singh and Trauben. "She is confident in her case and intends to pursue it fully."
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to representatives for Tea Shop Productions and Barker for comment. Darby is seeking a full accounting of several projects, including "Obsession," and any unpaid profit participation and bonuses owed to her.
Barker, 26, wrote and directed "Obsession" after building a following as a YouTube filmmaker. He has since been tapped to write and direct an A24 reboot of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and another original film with Universal and Blumhouse's Atomic Monster.
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