Legal drama around Rebel Wilson's The Deb reaches new continent

A production company involved in Wilson's directorial debut is suing the actor-director for allegedly blocking the film's release in Australia.

By Emma Keates  |  July 25, 2025 | 10:04am
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Legal drama around Rebel Wilson's The Deb reaches new continent
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The bizarre saga of Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb continues. Wilson is already being sued for defamation by her fellow producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden, after she took to Instagram in 2024 to accuse them of alleged embezzlement, sexual misconduct, and blocking the film’s release. Now, UK-based company AI Film—which produced the musical comedy along with Wilson’s own Camp Sugar—is joining in the messy fray.

AI Film is now accusing Wilson of sabotaging the release in a suit filed in New South Wales, The Guardian reports. The production company’s suit cites a letter allegedly sent by Wilson’s lawyer Bryan Freedman on January 5, stating that “Wilson is currently in active discussions to outright purchase The Deb (the “Film”) and all associated rights and title.” The letter also allegedly threatened to “pursue all claims and damages should Al Film or any agents acting on its behalf interfere with that business opportunity.”

AI Film accuses Wilson of making a deliberate attempt to devalue the film’s worth in order to pressure AI Film and Dunburn Debutantes Commissioning Company, the entity managing the film’s rights, into selling their stake to Wilson’s own company, Camp Sugar, for her personal financial gain. Further, AI Film’s suit also accuses Wilson of interfering in dealings with a company called Kismet, which was bidding to distribute The Deb in Australia. The suit claims that Wilson had a discussion with the company during which she said that she could not support the film’s distribution while the legal case with Ghost, Cameron, and Holden was still ongoing in the U.S., and that she would seek an injunction if any attempts to distribute the film were made. 

AI Film claims that Wilson knew the legal proceedings wouldn’t prohibit the film’s release and was merely trying to delay the release so she could pursue the quoted “business opportunity” of buying the film outright. “These proceedings are regrettable but essential to ensure The Deb’s timely release. It’s a joyous, fun film, and we are sure that audiences are going to love it,” the company wrote in a statement. The film’s star, Charlotte MacInnes, who was involved in her own drama with Wilson earlier this year, also chimed in on AI Films’ behalf: “I love this film and I can’t wait for it to be released… it would be wonderful if these proceedings can help make that happen.”

Wilson denied AI Films’ claims in her own lengthy statement posted to Instagram stories. “I want nothing more than to have this film released and have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to get this to happen,” she wrote. “To say otherwise is complete nonsense. I’m so proud of this film!”

“In my opinion this is continued bullying and harassment from UK financiers of the project Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden after I exposed their dodgy behavior,” she continued. “They tried to prevent the film from premiering there (they lost) and now they’ve tried to stop the film being released because of a baseless US lawsuit and now a further Australian one.”

 
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