Phase 4 Films

Last updated
Phase 4 Films, Inc.
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Film
Animation
Predecessor
Founded1996;28 years ago (1996)
FounderBerry Meyerowitz
Defunct2016;8 years ago (2016)
FateDefunct
Successor Lionsgate Canada
Headquarters
Toronto, Ontario
,
Canada
Area served
North America
Key people
Berry Meyerowitz
(President & CEO)
Services
Parent Entertainment One (2014–2016)
Subsidiaries KaBoom! Entertainment Inc.

Phase 4 Films was a Canadian film distribution company headquartered in Toronto. It had two branches in the U.S.: Los Angeles, California and Fort Mill, South Carolina. Its subsidiary, Kaboom! Entertainment markets children's entertainment with companies such as Corus.

Contents

History

Phase 4 Films traces its history to Telegenic, a family-oriented film distributor that was founded in 1996. Berry Meyerowitz purchased Telegenic in 2000 and renamed it as "Kaboom! Entertainment". In 2006, Peace Arch Entertainment Group, which later merged with ContentFilm, purchased Kaboom!. Berry Meyerowitz founded Phase 4 Films in April 2009 when he bought back their North American distribution business. [1]

In 2011, Phase 4 announced a new Canadian television venture along with Take 5 Development. [2] In 2012, they partnered with Kevin Smith's SModcast Pictures to distribute those films in the U.S. and Canada. [3] Phase 4 acquired ESI Distribution in 2014 and signed distribution deals with The Criterion Collection and Shout! Factory. [4] On June 2, 2014, Phase 4 Films was acquired by another studio from the country Entertainment One. [5]

Trademark infringement lawsuit

In 2013, Phase 4 picked up the Canadian animated feature The Legend of Sarila for distribution in the U.S., renaming the ripoff film Frozen Land and then releasing it with a similar logo and disc box art to that of Disney's Frozen . In late December 2013, Disney filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Phase 4 in California federal court, seeking an injunction against the continued distribution of Frozen Land in the U.S. [6] [7] Disney alleged that less than three weeks prior to the release of its animated feature film Frozen, Phase 4 Films theatrically released The Legend of Sarila, which garnered "minimal box office revenues and received no significant attention."

To trade off the success of Disney's animated film and "[t]o enhance the commercial success of Sarila, the defendant redesigned the artwork, packaging, logo, and other promotional materials for its newly (and intentionally misleadingly) retitled film to mimic those used by [Disney] for Frozen and related merchandise." [8] While film titles cannot be trademarked by law, Disney cited a number of alleged similarities between the new Phase 4's Frozen Land logo and Disney's original one. [9] [10]

By late January 2014, the two companies had settled the case; the settlement stated that the distribution and promotion of The Legend of Sarila and related merchandise must use its original title and Phase 4 must not use trademarks, logos or other designs confusingly similar to Disney's animated release. [10] [11] [12] Phase 4 was also required to pay Disney $100,000 until January 27, 2014, and make "all practicable efforts" to remove copies of Frozen Land from stores and online distributors until March 3, 2014. [10] [11]

Filmography

YearMovieUSCanada
2015 American Milkshake DVDDVD
2015DarkroomDVDDVD
2015 Miss Meadows DVDDVD
2015Not Human__DVD
2014 Alien Uprising DVD/Blu-rayDVD/Blu-ray
2014 Butcher Boys DVDDVD
2014 Some Girl(s) DVDDVD
2014 Legacy of Rage __DVD
2015A Country ChristmasDVDDVD
2014 A Merry Friggin' Christmas all mediaall media
2014 Saturday Morning Massacre __DVD
2014 Switchmas DVDDVD
2014 Brazilian Western __DVD/Blu-ray
2014 Fort Bliss __DVD
2014 Black Rock __DVD
2014 Palo Alto all mediaDVD
2014 Come Morning video-on-demandvideo-on-demand
2014 Jamesy Boy all mediaall media
2014 Agent F.O.X. all mediaall media
2014 The Culture High all mediaall media
2014 Bucksville all mediaall media
2013 Otto the Rhino DVDDVD
2013The Jungle Book: Return 2 The JungleDVDDVD
2013The Jungle BookDVDDVD
2013 I Declare War __all media
2013 The Crash Reel all mediaall media
2013 The Dirties DVDItunes and website
2013The Black Dahlia Hauntingvideo-on-demandall media
2013 Assault on Wall Street Direct-to-DVD Direct-to-DVD
2013EdenTheatrical__
2013An Easter Bunny PuppyDVD__
2013 A Talking Cat!?! DVD__
2013 Caroline and Jackie all mediaall media
2012A Christmas PuppyDVD__
2012 Extracted [13] all mediaall media
2012Backwards__all media
2012 My Awkward Sexual Adventure __all media
2012Heathens and Thievesall mediaall media
2012 Alter Egos __theatrical
2012 Sushi Girl theatricalall media
2012Parasitic__DVD
2012 Smitty DVD/TVDVD/TV
2012See Girl Run__TV
2012 Electrick Children theatricaltheatrical
2012 That's What She Said __theatrical
2012Barrio Talesall media__
2012Tetherballall media__
2012A Good Funeralall media__
2012 Bindlestiffs [14] __theatrical
2012House HuntingDVD__
2012A Little Bit of Faithall media__
2012 Ivan the Incredible DVD__
2011The Voyages of Young Doctor DolittleDVD__
2011In the Name of the King: Two Worlds__DVD/Blu-ray
2011Chick Magnetall mediaall media
2011 Blubberella __all media
2011 Horrid Henry: The Movie __all media
2011Flesh Woundsall mediaall media
2011Hopelessly in June__all media
2011 Mayor Cupcake all mediaall media
2011Luckytheatrical__
2011Rid of Me__theatrical
2011The Legend of Hell's Gate: An American Conspiracyall media__
2011Knockouttheatrical__
2011AbsentiaDVD__
2011 Another Happy Day theatrical__
2011Red State__all media
2011Budz HouseDVDDVD
2011Doggie Btheatrical__
2011Kiss the Brideall mediaall media
2011Open Gateall media__
2011 Contract Killers __DVD
2011 Kill Katie Malone all media__
2011Sweet Karma__DVD
2011 Dear Lemon Lima theatrical__
2011 Stories USA DVDDVD
2011Lost Colony: The Legend of RoanokeDVD__
2011 The Wild Soccer Bunch 2  [ de ]DVD__
2011 Grizzly Park DVD__
2011 Freddy Frogface DVDDVD
2010 Looking for Jackie DVD__
2010God Send Me a Manall media__
2010 Veronika Decides to Die video__
2010The TombDVD__
2010Crushall media__
2010 Deadland DVD__
2010KikkerdrilDVD__
2010Ultimate HeistDVD__
2010 Finding Bliss theatrical__
2010 The Killing Room __DVD
2010 Bloodrayne: The Third Reich all mediaall media
2010Caged AnimalDVD__
2010 Terror Trap all mediaall media
2010Hanna's Goldall media__
2010 Love & Distrust all mediaall media
2010Supreme Championall mediaall media
2010Nic & Tristan Go Mega Degaall mediaall media
2010Road KillDVD__
2010The Dead Undeadall media__
2010Enemies Among Usall mediaall media
2010Harm's WayDVD__
2010 Vidal Sassoon: The Movie all media__
2010 The Final Storm DVD__
2010What Would Jesus Do?all mediaall media
2010Good Intentionsvideo__
2010Freestyletheatrical__
2010Order of ChaosDVD__
2010Let God Be the Judgeall media__
2010Machete Joeall mediaall media
2010The Freebietheatrical__
2010Dronesall mediaall media
2010American Maniacsvideo__
2010Gnomes and Trolls: The Forest Trialall mediaall media
2010 Journey to Promethea all mediaall media
2010Nexusall mediaall media
2010Perfect Lifevideo__
2010Scarall mediaall media
2010Wushu Warriorall mediaall media
2010Cornered!__DVD
2010Attack on Darfurtheatrical/DVD__
2010Don't You Forget About MeDVD__
2010 Dead Man Running all mediaall media
2010Brotherhoodall mediaDVD
2010 Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel all mediaDVD
2010Forget Me Notall mediaall media
2010 The Nutcrackers all media__
2010RampageDVDDVD
2010Outrage: Born in Terrortheatrical__
2010I Do & I Don'tDVD__
2010 Bob and Margaret DVD__
2010Among Dead Menall mediaall media
2010 Adventures of Power all media__
2009The No Sit Listall media__
2009 Luke and Lucy: The Texas Rangers all mediaall media
2009Poker Runall media__
2009 Booky's Crush all mediaall media
2009Adoptedall mediaall media
2009 All American Orgy all mediaall media
2009 Red Hook all mediaall media
2009 Fifty Dead Men Walking all media__
2009RiggedDVD__
2009 Baby Blues DVD__
2009FlingDVDDVD
2009 JCVD __DVD
2009Paraiso TraveltheatricalDVD
2009Rock the Paint__DVD
2009 Familiar Strangers DVD__
2008Disco WormsDVD__
2008A Christmas Proposalall mediaall media
2008Christmas Townall mediaall media
2008At Jesus' Sideall mediaall media
2008The Coverupall mediaall media
2008 Goat Story all mediaall media
2008 The Missing Lynx theatrical__
2008 XIII: The Conspiracy ____
2008 The Poker House all mediaall media
2008House of Fallenall mediaall media
2008Garrisonall mediaall media
2008Gunsall mediaall media
2008Sticks and Stonesall mediaall media
2007 Booky & the Secret Santa all media__
2007 Where Is Winky's Horse? all mediaall media
2007Hack!DVD__
2007Ten Inch Heroall mediaall media
2007The Big SliceDVD__
2006A CrimeDVD__
2006 Guilty Hearts all mediaall media
2005Buckaroo: The Movieall mediaall media
2005 Wheelmen all mediaall media
2003 The Wild Soccer Bunch  [ de ]all mediaall media
2001The Last Brickmaker in Americaall mediaall media

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