AMC, Bryan Fuller & Shudder Hit With Sexual Harassment Suit By ‘Queer For Fear’ Producer; Plaintiff “Will Be Sued For Defamation,” Defense Lawyer Declares

Dominic Patten
·3 min read
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UPDATED with correction in lawyer’s statement: A producer on Shudder’s Queer for Fear series has sued the streaming service, AMC Networks and executive producer Bryan Fuller for sexual harassment, a hostile work environment and retaliation. In response, a new suit for defamation and malicious prosecution could be coming soon, an attorney for Fuller says.

“Defendant Bryan Fuller cultivated and maintained a hostile work environment as a result of harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation from the years 2020 to 2022,” alleges Sam Wineman in a graphic and explicit filing that hit the Los Angeles Superior Court docket yesterday.

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“Mr. Fuller sexually assaulted plaintiff several times throughout the Steakhaus Production of Queer for Fear for AMC defendants and their streaming service Shudder,” Wineman and his Good Gustafson Aumais LLP and Atkins & Associates lawyers add in the September 28 dated complaint, which is seeking a jury trial.

Read the harassment complaint against Bryan Fuller, AMC and Shudder here.

Bryan Fuller
Bryan Fuller

Executive produced by the former Hannibal showrunner, the four-episode documentary series Queer for Fear examines the history and role of LGBTQ+ artists and the greater community in the horror and thriller genres. Timed to Halloween last year and featuring interviews with the likes of Justin Simien, Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and author Carmen Maria Machado, Queer for Fear ran on Shudder from September 30-October 21, 2022.

A director on the project along with Fuller, Wineman claims that after reporting the American Gods co-showrunner’s alleged “abuse …unlawful behavior and comments” and “preoccupation with masturbation” to Shudder VP Nick Lazo and others, he was axed from Queer for Fear in August 2021.

“AMC defendants and executive producer defendants ignored all warning signs, facilitated and permitted Mr. Fuller’s unlawful conduct and ultimately ratified Mr. Fuller’s behavior and comments, the 21-page complaint declares. “Defendants’ final act of retaliation was reducing plaintiff’s earned credits when the production aired in or around September 30, 2022.”

AMC are reviewing the complaint and did not have immediate comment, a spokesperson for the company said Thursday. However, never short of a verbal missive, Fuller’s lawyer Bryan Freedman certainly had a comment or two about the lawsuit.

“Make no mistake, Sam Wineman will be sued for defamation based on what are 100 percent probably false statements,” Freedman told Deadline today.

“There is documented evidence which completely disproves the allegations against Bryan Fuller,” the Hollywood legal heavyweight added for his WME-repped client. “Wineman created this fictitious story long after his gross incompetence necessitated his removal in an effort to extort AMC, Shudder, Steakhaus and Bryan Fuller. He never raised any allegation of wrongdoing prior to his removal because he knew that this was absolute garbage. Sam Wineman just made the biggest mistake of his life and once the evidence comes out, he will forever be known as a pathological liar. Rest assured; a malicious prosecution lawsuit aimed directly at him is coming soon.”

Among a series of projects in various stages, original Star Trek Discovery showrunner Fuller is working on a much-delayed reboot of Christine. Based on a Stephen King novel of the same name, the original Christine film from 1983 was directed by John Carpenter.

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