SYNERGIZE THIS ...("The X-Files" star David Duchovny sues 20th Century Fox)(Brief Article)

Vertical sales pit players vs. studios

David Duchovny thinks he's been had, thanks to Rupert Murdoch's careful construction of the 20th Century Fox empire over the past 15 years.

"The X-Files" star is the latest above-the-line player to challenge the new reality of Hollywood with a lawsuit that questions whether today's mega media congloms really demand fair market value for hit movie and TV properties when the deal-making involves various divisions of the same company.

Duchovny's suit, filed earlier this month in Santa Monica, Calif., accuses Fox of limiting the potential backend gross of the show -- and thereby his take through profit participation points -- by cutting sweetheart deals with Fox-owned entities at below-market prices.

Messy business

For sure, the realpolitik of profit participation in Hollywood has always been a messy business. Showbiz lawyers have long charged that studios often resort to …