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Phase 4 Films

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Not to be confused with Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four § Films.
Phase 4 Films, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFilm
Animation
Predecessor
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
FounderBerry Meyerowitz
Defunct2016; 8 years ago (2016)
FateDefunct
SuccessorLionsgate Canada
Headquarters
Toronto, Ontario
,
Canada
Area served
North America
Key people
Berry Meyerowitz
(President & CEO)
Services
ParentEntertainment One (2014–2016)
SubsidiariesKaBoom! 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.

History

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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

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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

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Year Movie US Canada
2015 American Milkshake DVD DVD
2015 Darkroom DVD DVD
2015 Miss Meadows DVD DVD
2015 Not Human __ DVD
2014 Alien Uprising DVD/Blu-ray DVD/Blu-ray
2014 Butcher Boys DVD DVD
2014 Some Girl(s) DVD DVD
2014 Legacy of Rage __ DVD
2015 A Country Christmas DVD DVD
2014 A Merry Friggin' Christmas all media all media
2014 Saturday Morning Massacre __ DVD
2014 Switchmas DVD DVD
2014 Brazilian Western __ DVD/Blu-ray
2014 Fort Bliss __ DVD
2014 Black Rock __ DVD
2014 Palo Alto all media DVD
2014 Come Morning video-on-demand video-on-demand
2014 Jamesy Boy all media all media
2014 Agent F.O.X. all media all media
2014 The Culture High all media all media
2014 Bucksville all media all media
2013 Otto the Rhino DVD DVD
2013 The Jungle Book: Return 2 The Jungle DVD DVD
2013 The Jungle Book DVD DVD
2013 I Declare War __ all media
2013 The Crash Reel all media all media
2013 The Dirties DVD Itunes and website
2013 The Black Dahlia Haunting video-on-demand all media
2013 Assault on Wall Street Direct-to-DVD Direct-to-DVD
2013 Eden Theatrical __
2013 An Easter Bunny Puppy DVD __
2013 A Talking Cat!?! DVD __
2013 Caroline and Jackie all media all media
2012 A Christmas Puppy DVD __
2012 Extracted[13] all media all media
2012 Backwards __ all media
2012 My Awkward Sexual Adventure __ all media
2012 Heathens and Thieves all media all media
2012 Alter Egos __ theatrical
2012 Sushi Girl theatrical all media
2012 Parasitic __ DVD
2012 Smitty DVD/TV DVD/TV
2012 See Girl Run __ TV
2012 Electrick Children theatrical theatrical
2012 That's What She Said __ theatrical
2012 Barrio Tales all media __
2012 Tetherball all media __
2012 A Good Funeral all media __
2012 Bindlestiffs[14] __ theatrical
2012 House Hunting DVD __
2012 A Little Bit of Faith all media __
2012 Ivan the Incredible DVD __
2011 The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle DVD __
2011 In the Name of the King: Two Worlds __ DVD/Blu-ray
2011 Chick Magnet all media all media
2011 Blubberella __ all media
2011 Horrid Henry: The Movie __ all media
2011 Flesh Wounds all media all media
2011 Hopelessly in June __ all media
2011 Mayor Cupcake all media all media
2011 Lucky theatrical __
2011 Rid of Me __ theatrical
2011 The Legend of Hell's Gate: An American Conspiracy all media __
2011 Knockout theatrical __
2011 Absentia DVD __
2011 Another Happy Day theatrical __
2011 Red State __ all media
2011 Budz House DVD DVD
2011 Doggie B theatrical __
2011 Kiss the Bride all media all media
2011 Open Gate all media __
2011 Contract Killers __ DVD
2011 Kill Katie Malone all media __
2011 Sweet Karma __ DVD
2011 Dear Lemon Lima theatrical __
2011 Stories USA DVD DVD
2011 Lost Colony: The Legend of Roanoke DVD __
2011 The Wild Soccer Bunch 2 [de] DVD __
2011 Grizzly Park DVD __
2011 Freddy Frogface DVD DVD
2010 Looking for Jackie DVD __
2010 God Send Me a Man all media __
2010 Veronika Decides to Die video __
2010 The Tomb DVD __
2010 Crush all media __
2010 Deadland DVD __
2010 Kikkerdril DVD __
2010 Ultimate Heist DVD __
2010 Finding Bliss theatrical __
2010 The Killing Room __ DVD
2010 Bloodrayne: The Third Reich all media all media
2010 Caged Animal DVD __
2010 Terror Trap all media all media
2010 Hanna's Gold all media __
2010 Love & Distrust all media all media
2010 Supreme Champion all media all media
2010 Nic & Tristan Go Mega Dega all media all media
2010 Road Kill DVD __
2010 The Dead Undead all media __
2010 Enemies Among Us all media all media
2010 Harm's Way DVD __
2010 Vidal Sassoon: The Movie all media __
2010 The Final Storm DVD __
2010 What Would Jesus Do? all media all media
2010 Good Intentions video __
2010 Freestyle theatrical __
2010 Order of Chaos DVD __
2010 Let God Be the Judge all media __
2010 Machete Joe all media all media
2010 The Freebie theatrical __
2010 Drones all media all media
2010 American Maniacs video __
2010 Gnomes and Trolls: The Forest Trial all media all media
2010 Journey to Promethea all media all media
2010 Nexus all media all media
2010 Perfect Life video __
2010 Scar all media all media
2010 Wushu Warrior all media all media
2010 Cornered! __ DVD
2010 Attack on Darfur theatrical/DVD __
2010 Don't You Forget About Me DVD __
2010 Dead Man Running all media all media
2010 Brotherhood all media DVD
2010 Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel all media DVD
2010 Forget Me Not all media all media
2010 The Nutcrackers all media __
2010 Rampage DVD DVD
2010 Outrage: Born in Terror theatrical __
2010 I Do & I Don't DVD __
2010 Bob and Margaret DVD __
2010 Among Dead Men all media all media
2010 Adventures of Power all media __
2009 The No Sit List all media __
2009 Luke and Lucy: The Texas Rangers all media all media
2009 Poker Run all media __
2009 Booky's Crush all media all media
2009 Adopted all media all media
2009 All American Orgy all media all media
2009 Red Hook all media all media
2009 Fifty Dead Men Walking all media __
2009 Rigged DVD __
2009 Baby Blues DVD __
2009 Fling DVD DVD
2009 JCVD __ DVD
2009 Paraiso Travel theatrical DVD
2009 Rock the Paint __ DVD
2009 Familiar Strangers DVD __
2008 Disco Worms DVD __
2008 A Christmas Proposal all media all media
2008 Christmas Town all media all media
2008 At Jesus' Side all media all media
2008 The Coverup all media all media
2008 Goat Story all media all media
2008 The Missing Lynx theatrical __
2008 XIII: The Conspiracy __ __
2008 The Poker House all media all media
2008 House of Fallen all media all media
2008 Garrison all media all media
2008 Guns all media all media
2008 Sticks and Stones all media all media
2007 Booky & the Secret Santa all media __
2007 Where Is Winky's Horse? all media all media
2007 Hack! DVD __
2007 Ten Inch Hero all media all media
2007 The Big Slice DVD __
2006 A Crime DVD __
2006 Guilty Hearts all media all media
2005 Buckaroo: The Movie all media all media
2005 Wheelmen all media all media
2003 The Wild Soccer Bunch [de] all media all media
2001 The Last Brickmaker in America all media all media

References

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  1. ^ Goldstein, Gary (July 16, 2011). "Distrib exec's latest Phase borders on rebirth". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  2. ^ Kilday, Gregg (September 5, 2011). "Take 5 Productions and Phase 4 Films Launch New TV Venture, Take 5 Development". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  3. ^ McNary, Dave (January 23, 2012). "Phase 4, Kevin Smith partner". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  4. ^ Kay, Jeremy (January 27, 2014). "Phase 4 acquires ESI". Screen Daily. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  5. ^ "eOne acquires Phase 4 Films". Deadline Hollywood. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  6. ^ Koch, Dave (December 28, 2013). "Disney Acts To Freeze Out Competition". Big Cartoon News. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  7. ^ Amidi, Amid (29 December 2013). "Disney Files Trademark Lawsuit Over "Frozen Land"". Cartoon Brew. Cartoon Brew, LLC. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  8. ^ Gardner, Eriq (24 December 2013). "Disney Files Trademark Lawsuit Over 'Frozen Land' Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  9. ^ Koch, Dave (28 December 2013). "Disney Acts To Freeze Out Competition". Big Cartoon News. Big Cartoon DataBase. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  10. ^ a b c Burgin, Jack (18 January 2014). "Walt Disney Settles Trademark Lawsuit over "Frozen"". WDW Info. Werner Technologies, LLC. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  11. ^ a b Gardner, Eriq (22 January 2014). "Disney Lawsuit Ices 'Frozen Land' Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  12. ^ Vlessing, Etan (27 January 2014). "Phase 4 Films settles Frozen Land lawsuit with Disney". Playback. Brunico Communications Ltd. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  13. ^ Kit, Borys (May 5, 2012). "Sci-Fi Thriller 'Extracted' to be Distributed by Phase 4 Films". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  14. ^ Sneider, Jeff (March 9, 2012). "Phase 4 Films snags rights to 'Bindlestiffs'". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
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