KING MOVIE ON HOLD: ALREADY!

DreamWorks Studios will back out of plans to produce a movie about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. unless King's three surviving children stop fussing and fighting and settle their differences over the deal, the studio said Wednesday.

The latest public rift between Dexter King, the chief executive of the King estate, and his brother and sister -- Martin Luther King III and Bernice King -- erupted Tuesday after it was made public that Dexter King, 48, had finalized the deal with DreamWorks without their knowledge.

Martin King, 51, and Bernice King, 46, learned that a deal had been struck when Dexter sent them an e-mail Tuesday morning, just as the news media was being told by the studio, a source close to the family told CNN. The remaining siblings had known that Dexter King, was negotiating with Spielberg on a possible movie deal, the source said.

Bernice King and Martin King said they knew nothing about the DreamWorks project. They said they embraced the idea of a film about their father but told CNN's "Larry King Live" they were concerned about the deal.

"I think Mr. Spielberg is a great producer and we look forward to hearing from him about the scope of this agreement," Bernice King said. "We know nothing about the scope of this agreement. We have no details to say whether or not this particular one is a good idea."

DreamWorks issued a statement Wednesday that suggested King family unity was essential for the movie to be made. "The purpose of making a movie about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is to tell a great story which could bridge distances and bring people together," the statement said. "We remain committed to pursuing a film chronicling Martin Luther King's life provided that there is unity in the family so we can make a film about unity in our nation."

DreamWorks executives appeared caught by surprise by the King family's infighting, although such squabbles are not new -- Martin King and Bernice King filed a lawsuit against Dexter King last year over publication of their mother's recently discovered love letters.

Martin King and Bernice King have complained in court filings that Dexter King has acted independently for years on estate business matters, refusing to call a family meeting.
Over the past year, angered over Dexter King's move to publish their mother's love letters, neither Martin King nor Bernice King has spoken to Dexter King, the source close to the family said.

Dexter King, in a written statement Wednesday evening, said he has "always upheld my duty" as CEO of the King estate to communicate with the others. "Although my communication with family members has been somewhat stymied by the current litigation, I have continued to reach out and I remain committed to working together with my siblings on projects to educate people about the life, leadership and teachings of our father, Martin Luther King Jr.," Dexter King said.

"Just as Sir Richard Attenborough's film, 'Gandhi,' educated many millions of people all over the world about the Mahatma's teachings, I believe this project can do the same regarding the life, work and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., and I sincerely hope my brother and sister will join us in supporting this urgently needed project," Dexter King said.

"Martin and Bernice want to have some reconciliation with Dexter before they sign off on it," Houck said.

CRAZY! Get it together as Frankie would say!

SOURCE