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The Writers Guild of America West has barred members from working on the upcoming disaster movie “Wall of White” that is in the works from producers Randall Emmett and Martin Scorsese.
Emmett has a history of tangling with the WGA and has been on the guild’s WGA Strike/Unfair List since 2020. Moreover, his Convergence Entertainment Group banner is not a signatory to the guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement, which covers the work of screenwriters.
Per the WGA, “Emmett has a long history of refusing to honor obligations to writers and the Guild has filed numerous arbitration claims against companies owned by Emmett over the last decade.”
The depth of Scorsese’s involvement in “Wall of White” is unclear. The film is reportedly focused on the deadly 1982 avalanche that left seven dead in the Alpine Meadows ski resort outside near Lake Tahoe in northern California.
The WGA maintains that Emmett previously failed to pay more than $700,000 owned in pension and health contributions and interest due to four writers who worked on the TV series “Pump,” which aired in 2020 on Urbanflix.com. Per the WGA, Emmett’s firm received a court order mandating that it make those payments.
The WGA’s notice also cites problems that emerged on productions that flowed through another Emmett entity, Fifty Feet. That company went onto the Strike/Unfair List in August 2024 because of Emmett’s alleged failure to post a surety bond in conjunction with WGA rules.
“The Guild demanded a surety bond from Fifty Feet after determining that it was not financially responsible and was unlikely to meet its MBA obligations in connection with several theatrical motion picture projects, including ‘Cash Out,’ ‘Alarum’ and ‘Epiphany,’ ” the WGA stated. “Emmett produced all three pictures and directed Cash Out under the pseudonym ‘Ives.’ “
The guild urged members to contact the guild’s legal department “if you have been approached by Emmett or Convergence about any writing assignment.”
Emmett could not be reached for a comment. Representatives for Scorsese did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
(Pictured: Randall Emmett and Martin Scorsese)
