Prolific movie producer Mark Gordon claims he is facing gang death threats thanks to the Aaron Hernandez biopic he is working on.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ Sports, Gordon is asking Los Angeles Superior Court for protection because a competing producer claims he has the rights to make a film about the late New England Patriots player.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Gordon says producer Todd Guzze left him a voicemail referencing the Latin Kings and the Bloods, two Los Angeles street gangs. Guzze told Gordin he is “keeping them at bat right now,” adding, “I don’t need to tell you how [the gangs] work … They’re right here in L.A.,” according to Gordon.
Guzze also threatened Gordon online. One message read, “Are you ready? I hope it’s worth it.”
Gordon wants a judge to keep Guzze away from him at least 300 yards away.
Guzze denied Gordon’s claims in a statement to TMZ.
“Mark Gordon has taken this too far. Aaron Hernandez is a very sensitive story and I’ve made him aware on multiple occasions that no one is doing this story but the family and the original partners that were closely tied to Aaron and his estate,” Guzze said. “There is more to come, concerning Aaron’s story, and by making this a public spectacle, I feel it’s just throwing gasoline on the fire.”
Gordon is an Oscar-nominated producer, whose credits include Saving Private Ryan, Murder on the Orient Express and Molly’s Game. His TV credits include Ray Donovan, Criminal Minds, Designated Survivor and Grey’s Anatomy.
In January, Gordon told The Hollywood Reporter he was producing a film based on James Patterson and Alex Abramovich’s All-American Murder: The Rise and Fall of Aaron Hernandez, the Superstar Whose Life Ended on Murderer’s Row.
“The real, shocking events that led to Aaron Hernandez’s harrowing fall from NFL stardom gripped America’s attention and imprinted itself on today’s cultural zeitgeist,” said Gordon in a statement in January. “James is unmatched in his storytelling and reporting talents, and he chronicles this story with incredible insight and nuance. There is no other person with whom to collaborate to bring this timely film to life.”
The 27-year-old Hernandez was a tight end for the New England Patriots. He was convicted for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who dated his fiancee’s sister.
He was also charged with a 2012 double homicide, but was acquitted in 2017. Days after he was acquitted, Hernandez was found dead in his cell. His death was ruled a suicide, and he was later diagnosed with CTE.
