Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Mist (2007) and many others) has been engaged in a lawsuit with AMC Networks for screwing him over on profits on The Walking Dead, which he was the original showrunner, for almost two decades.

Seemingly his quest for the monies he believes he’s owed has ended (assuming that AMC Networks does not challenge the decision) with a judgment – along with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) – of $200 million.

And that’s awesome, because it’s fairly apparent with even a cursory examination of the case, Darabont has been ill-treated by AMC Networks for more than a little while (which if you ask me, has been shown in the quality of the series, which has been rollercoaster-like).

That being said, what really bothers me is that Darabont had done well enough that he could defend himself for so long against a company with very deep pockets; what would have been the case if he were a relatively unknown director, without a career that has existed in various forms since 1981, never mind the millions he’s likely earned since that time, and the support of CAA?

They’d be well screwed, that’s what would have happened.