Paramount and 101 Studios have been forced to step in and save Christmas for dozens of construction workers on their upcoming Guy Ritchie series.
Deadline understands that at least 50 people who worked building the sets on the gangster show have been left unpaid to the total tune of around £250,000 ($316,000), but hopes are now high they will have the money well in time for the holiday.
The show, which has rolled cameras in London, stars Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in two warring families whose enterprises stretch across all corners of the globe. Produced for Paramount+ with Showtime by 101 and MTV Studios, it is currently untitled but has had working titles The Associate and Fixer.
Construction of sets took place over the summer and the non-payment issue has emerged in recent weeks due to financial strife experienced by set construction firm Helix3D, which we understand is likely to enter liquidation. Paramount and 101 are understood to have paid Helix but Helix has failed to pass on some of the sum to at least 50 people who are members of UK broadcasting union Bectu, if not more who are not part of the union. A number of people who worked on the show raised concerns in a Facebook group over the past few days that they won’t be paid in the run-up to Christmas.
Deadline understands Paramount and 101 have now intervened and are hopeful they can pay all the money owed to the construction workers by early next week. A rumor that star and producer Hardy will personally help with the payments has been quashed.
In a letter sent yesterday to Helix boss Brian Dowling from Bectu official Chris Hudson, seen by Deadline, Hudson said while liquidation now “seems unavoidable,” “what does seem to have been avoidable was the lack of foresight that this situation could occur, given the serious financial trouble Helix was in.”
This resulted, Hudson added, in Helix “being unable to pay our members whilst they were tirelessly working to finish building the sets,” with many members now “very distressed… fearing they will be unable to cover necessities such as bills.”
Deadline has reached out to Helix but it did not respond by press time.
Ritchie’s TV stock has risen of late with the success of his Netflix series The Gentlemen, which has been recommissioned for a second season. His reps didn’t respond to a request for comment on this story. Paramount declined comment.
Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), Jasmine Jobson (Top Boy) and Mandeep Dhillon (CSI: Vegas) became the latest to board the Ritchie gangster show last week.
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