Jeremy Piven's Contract Holding Up Entourage Movie Production?

The cast and producers of Entourage continue to be at odds with regard to the long-rumored but yet-to-get-started movie based on the HBO show. A new report indicates that Jeremy Piven's contract is at the center of the conflict.

The Hollywood Reporter posted an article on Wednesday that states that the backend compensation on Piven's deal has the other cast members up in arms. Piven, who won three consecutive Emmys for his role as superagent Ari Gold on the show, signed his contract to join the movie in early October.

But the backend compensation on his deal reportedly has co-stars Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Jerry Ferrera and Kevin Dillon upset because they want pay closer to Piven's. Inside sources tell the site that Piven's Entourage contracts have always been worth more than his co-stars' since the show began in 2004. His character evolved into a fan favorite, but Piven was really the only big name on the show when it debuted.

One source said that Piven originally had a two-year deal that paid him almost $100,000 per episode, but the other cast members had five-year deals for much less per episode. The actors renegotiated several times during the show's eight seasons.

Warner Bros. is further compounding the problem because the studio insists that the budget for the film must remain less than $30 million. Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson, the two producers of the show and the film, have held firm on this, and Wahlberg recently told TMZ that filming would begin, "As soon as them guys stop being so greedy." Grenier responded on Instagram a few days later with the message, "I will sign any deal that gives ALL the boys an opportunity to share in the upside of success EQUALLY."

Check back with MStars for more on this story as it develops.