Channing Tatum blasts ex Jenna Dewan's attempt to 'bifurcate' dispute over 'Magic Mike' earnings through separate trial
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Channing Tatum's lawyers appeared in court on Wednesday, May 14, to oppose his ex-wife Jenna Dewan who is requesting a larger portion of the earnings from his "billion dollars" 'Magic Mike' films and live performances.
Granting Dewan's request would entail holding a trial only to settle their dispute over 'Magic Mike's multi-millions, with unsettled matters like child support and spousal support being handled in a different trial, per Daily Mail.
Channing Tatum opposes Jenna Dewan's request to 'bifurcate' 'Magic Mike' revenue conflict
In court filings, Dewan asserted her right to half of 'Magic Mike's intellectual property rights and charged Tatum with "engaging in a variety of tactics calculated to ….prevent its equal division."
Jenna Dewan, 43, is requesting that the court "bifurcate" her and her ex-husband's dispute over earnings from the male stripper series, of which she is entitled to half because the character was developed while they were still married.
Tatum, 44, strongly disagreed with the bifurcation and accused Dewan of "delaying tactics to prolong resolution of our financial settlement…and to seek a windfall from me."
However, Dewan's lawyer, Samantha Spector, argued on Wednesday at LA Superior Court, where neither celeb appeared: "We are not delaying at all. My client wants this to go forward. We just want to try it in a certain order. The Magic Mike intellectual property was created during the marriage and everything that flows from it is community property."
Consecutively, Tatum's attorney Kristina Royce-Grotzinger told Judge David Wasserman on Wednesday: "There's no dispute that the Magic Mike intellectual property was created during the marriage."
However, she went on to say that it was extremely important to take into account "all the work Tatum put in" on 'Magic Mike' following his split with Dewan.
In light of the 'Magic Mike' dispute, Judge Wasserman declined to rule on Wednesday, May 14. Rather, he set a settlement meeting for October 3 to allow both parties to have more time to work out their disagreements.
In the event that an agreement cannot be reached, the former couple will proceed to a trial readiness conference on November 15, where the judge will either decide regarding the bifurcation motion or forward the matter to the judge who will preside over the trial for adjudication.
Jenna Dewan accused Channing Tatum of hiding 'Magic Mike' income during contentious divorce
Six years after they split up, Dewan has claimed that Tatum conspired with others in secret to conceal his earnings from the 'Magic Mike' franchise, which was founded when the two were still married.
Dewan claimed that following their split, her ex "unilaterally transferred" some of those intellectual property rights to a different business "without her knowledge or consent," and that Tatum had been conspiring with others to conceal his 'Magic Mike' earnings from her.
The 44-year-old celebrity, however, fiercely refuted the charge in court filings obtained by Daily Mail, asserting, "I have always agreed for her to have an interest in the Magic Mike intellectual property and related entities."
Tatum added, "I have never denied her share of any community assets or income. Her claims that I have 'colluded with third parties' are completely false."
"She has had complete access to all our financial records for all activities during our marriage and since separation. I continue to provide her with updates regarding Magic Mike financial matters," he said.
Despite years of court fights, the couple's official divorce took place in November 2019, but matters about 'Magic Mike's wages, asset split, spousal maintenance, and child support for their 10-year-old daughter Everly are still unresolved.
Meanwhile, Tatum is engaged to actress Zoe Kravitz, 35, while Dewan is engaged to singer and actor Steve Kazee and will give birth to his second child next month.
