Gibson disputes ‘Christ’ suit

Mel Gibson is seeking dismissal of portions of a lawsuit by a screenwriter who alleges the actor-director misled him into accepting a small payment for writing “The Passion of the Christ,” court papers obtained Thursday show.

Benedict Fitzgerald also alleges in the L.A. Superior Court lawsuit filed Feb. 11 that he was refused extra money when the film became a blockbuster.

In court papers filed Tuesday, Gibson asked for dismissal of six of Fitzgerald’s nine causes of action, most notably fraud, which if proven would allow the plaintiff to seek punitive damages. A hearing is scheduled for June 20.

Fitzgerald, who shared screenwriting credit with Gibson, claimed he agreed to “a salary substantially less than what he would have taken had he known the true budget for the film.”

In his response, Gibson disputed many of Fitzgerald’s allegations and said that, in any event, the writer waited too long to file his suit.