Years in the making, the L.A. courtroom showdown between Rebel Wilson and The Deb producers is not going to trial as scheduled.
In a filing Wednesday that has been agreed upon by all the principals, Wilson’s lead lawyer Allyson K. Thompson has asked for the long set January 19, 2027 trial to be pushed back over two months. In fact, the Hart Kienle Pentecost attorney has also requested to LA Superior Court Judge Thomas Long that summary judgement hearings currently scheduled for December also be pushed back.
A hearing in downtown L.A. is on the books for Friday to address the requests. The parties are aiming to have the trial moved to March 22 next year.
Out of what has been an extremely contentious battle even by Hollywood standards between producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden and Deb director Wilson over allegations of misconduct on the film, this latest twist has a much more personal origin.
“Counsel for Ms. Wilson, Ms. Allyson Thompson, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer,” the 24-page ex parte application filing states.
“Ms. Thompon (sic) has been placed on a medical leave for surgery from November 30, 2026, through January 4, 2027, and is currently working reduced hours due to side effects of the disease,” it continues. “The doctor’s note was shared with all counsel for purposes of meeting and conferring. Ms. Thompson would prefer not to have to attach the doctor’s note to the moving papers but will provide the Court with a copy should it require review.”
The document goes on to say: After notifying all counsel of the issue, the parties held a scheduled telephonic meet and confer on Friday, October 16, 2026, to address this and other discovery matters. During the call, the parties agreed in principle to continue the trial to March 22, 2027, or a later date mutually acceptable to the parties and the Court. They also agreed that the expert-discovery deadlines could be continued with the trial date.”
Even with the usually packed LASC calendar, it is almost a certainty that Judge Long will sign off on the request tomorrow.
The October 21 filing and the public announcement of Thompson’s heath issues come as Wilson scored successful reviews (read Deadline’s Glenn Garner’s here) last month at TIFF for her latest big screen effort Girl Group. Unlike the 2024 Great North debut of The Deb, there were no legal dark clouds hanging over the Randall Park and Jennifer Coolidge co-starrer. On the other side of the Pacific, Deb actress Charlotte MacInnes appeal over an Australian court’s decision earlier this year that Wilson did not defame her in a series of social media posts continues.
Still, buried in the finger pointing, hyperboles, and connections to the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni It Ends With Us saga with ongoing claims of dark arts PR moves and smear sites, The Deb sunk from view pretty swiftly after it was finally released by Sunrise Films in late August
According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 American women will have “invasive breast cancer.” Approximately 320,000 cases are anticipated to be identified in 2026. While breast cancer is the second most common form of death from cancer after lung cancer, the ACS also notes “breast cancer death rates have been decreasing steadily since 1989, for an overall decline of 44% through 2023.” They add: :This is most likely the result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and increased awareness, as well as better treatments.”