How a failed attempt to replace Peter Sellers sparked a billion-dollar legal war
In short: After the death of Peter Sellers, director Blake Edwards attempted to relaunch the iconic Pink Panther series with a new lead. The resulting film, Curse of the Pink Panther, became a critical and commercial disaster, triggering a massive, multi-year legal battle between the filmmaker and the studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Released in 1983, Curse of the Pink Panther was the second film produced back-to-back following the death of series star Peter Sellers. While the previous entry, Trail of the Pink Panther, utilized archival footage of Sellers, this film attempted a total reboot by casting Ted Wass as the bumbling American detective Clifton Sleigh. The plot centered on Sleigh being manipulated by the vengeful Chief Inspector Dreyfus—played by Herbert Lom—to replace the missing Inspector Clouseau. Despite the return of series staples like Burt Kwouk’s Cato, the film was panned by critics and failed at the box office.
The production was plagued by internal conflict and logistical hurdles. MGM and director Blake Edwards clashed over budgets and schedules, with both the 1982 films exceeding their $17 million budget by $1 million. The studio’s decision to delay the release of Curse until August 1983 and withhold promotion led Edwards to sue MGM for $180 million, alleging sabotage. MGM countersued for fraudulent overspending, and the ensuing legal wrangling eventually involved claims totaling over $1 billion. The parties finally settled out of court in 1988, effectively ending Edwards' ambitious plans to transform the series into a comedic answer to the James Bond franchise.
The film remains a curious footnote in cinema history, notable for being the final appearance of David Niven and a rare comedic turn by Roger Moore, who appeared as a disguised Clouseau. While Edwards had hoped to establish a new protagonist, the failure of the film meant that Wass's option for sequels was never exercised. It wasn't until 1993 that Edwards returned to the franchise with Son of the Pink Panther, starring Roberto Benigni. Ultimately, the original series' attempt to survive without its central star serves as a cautionary tale about the difficulty of replacing a singular comedic talent.
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