Phase 4 Films was a Canadian independent 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 Entertainment.
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.
In 2011, Phase 4 announced a new Canadian television venture along with Take 5 Development. In 2012, they partnered with Kevin Smith's SModcast Pictures to distribute those films in the U.S. and Canada. Phase 4 acquired ESI Distribution in 2014 and signed distribution deals with The Criterion Collection and Shout! Factory. On June 2, 2014, Phase 4 Films itself was acquired by Entertainment One.
Trademark infringement lawsuit In 2013, Phase 4 acquired the rights to the Canadian animated feature The Legend of Sarila for distribution in the U.S. Instead of releasing it as the creators intended, Phase 4 adjusted the title to Frozen Land, then focused its marketing around text and disc art like that of Disney's Frozen, in addition to trailers and promotions casting it as resembling Frozen, though the film's story actually drew its inspiration early 20th century Inuit culture and had no resemblance to Frozen whatsover. 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. 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." 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.
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. 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.
Filmography Year Movie US Canada 2015 American Milkshake DVD Darkroom Miss Meadows Glass ChinTheatricalN/A Not Human N/A DVD10 Cent PistolN/AThe Rainbow KidWalterDVD 2014 Alien Uprising DVD and Blu-Ray Ask Me AnythingAll mediaThe Boxcar ChildrenN/A Butcher Boys DVD Devil's MileN/ATake Care Some Girl(s) DVD Legacy of Rage N/A DVD A Country Christmas DVD A Merry Friggin' Christmas All media Hit by Lightning Saturday Morning Massacre N/A DVD Switchmas DVD Brazilian Western N/A DVD and Blu-Ray Fort Bliss DVD Black Rock PatrickPrisoners of the SunDVD Palo Alto All media A Night in Old MexicoTheatricalN/A Come Morning Video-on-Demand Goodbye World Jamesy Boy All media The Day of the Siege: September Eleven 1683DVDThe Wedding PactDVDN/AAfter the DarkAll media Agent F.O.X. Free RideTheatricalN/A The Culture High All media Bucksville 2013Otto the RhinoApartment 1303 3DMiss DialCraveBold EaglesThe Jungle Book: Return 2 The JungleThe Jungle BookThe Short GameAdventures in the Sin BinCompulsion I Declare War N/A All mediaCrazy Kind of Love The Crash Reel All media Generation Um...All mediaHemorrhageVideo-on-Demand The Dirties DVD iTunes and Website DronesTheatrical The Black Dahlia Haunting Video-on-Demand All media Assault on Wall Street Direct-to-DVD Eden Theatrical N/ADark Tourist An Easter Bunny Puppy DVD A Talking Cat!?! Caroline and JackieAll media 2012 A Christmas Puppy DVD N/ABad Kids Go to HellAll mediaCreature Extracted All media All media Backwards N/A My Awkward Sexual Adventure Heathens and Thieves All media Little Red WagonTheatricalDVD Alter Egos N/A Sassy PantsScary or DieVideo-on-DemandN/A Sushi Girl Theatrical All media Parasitic N/A DVD Smitty DVD and TV See Girl Run N/A TVDracula RebornDVD and Video-on-DemandWonder Women! The Untold Story of American SuperheroinesN/A Electrick Children Theatrical Theatrical That's What She Said N/A Barrio Tales All media N/AHickTetherball A Good Funeral Bindlestiffs N/A Theatrical House Hunting DVD N/A A Little Bit of Faith All media Ivan the Incredible 2011 The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle In the Name of the King: Two Worlds N/A DVD and Blu-Ray Chick Magnet All media All media Blubberella N/A Horrid Henry: The Movie Flesh Wounds All media Hopelessly in June N/A Mayor Cupcake All media Lucky Theatrical N/A Rid of Me N/A Theatrical The Legend of Hell's Gate: An American Conspiracy All media N/A Knockout Theatrical Absentia DVD InSight Another Happy Day Theatrical Red State N/A All media Budz House DVD Guilty HeartsDVDN/A Doggie B Theatrical Kiss the Bride All media Open Gate All media N/A Contract Killers N/A DVD Kill Katie Malone All media N/A Sweet Karma N/A DVD Dear Lemon Lima Theatrical N/A Stories USA All media DVD Lost Colony: The Legend of Roanoke N/A Grizzly Park Freddy Frogface All media 2010 Looking for Jackie N/A God Send Me a Man Veronika Decides to Die Video The Tomb DVD Crush All media Deadland DVD Kikkerdril Ultimate Heist Finding Bliss Theatrical The Killing Room N/A DVD Bloodrayne: The Third Reich All media Caged Animal DVD N/A Terror Trap All media All media Hanna's Gold N/A Love & Distrust All media Supreme Champion Nic & Tristan Go Mega Dega Road Kill DVD N/A The Dead Undead All media Enemies Among Us All mediaThe BabysittersDVD and Blu-Ray My Babysitter’s a Vampire: The Movie N/A DVD Harm's Way DVD N/A Vidal Sassoon: The Movie All media The Final Storm DVD What Would Jesus Do? All media Good Intentions Video N/A Freestyle Theatrical Order of Chaos DVD Let God Be the Judge All media Machete Joe All media The Freebie Theatrical N/A Drones All media All media American Maniacs Video N/A Gnomes and Trolls: The Forest Trial All media Journey to Promethea Nexus Perfect Life Video N/A Scar All media Wushu Warrior Cornered! N/A DVD Attack on Darfur Theatrical and DVD N/ARaceDVD Don't You Forget About Me DVD Dead Man Running All media All media Brotherhood DVD Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel Forget Me Not All media The Nutcrackers N/A Rampage DVD Outrage: Born in Terror Theatrical N/A I Do & I Don't DVD Bob and Margaret Among Dead Men All media All media Adventures of Power N/A 2009 The No Sit List Luke and Lucy: The Texas Rangers All mediaPolice Patrol Poker Run N/A Booky's Crush All media Adopted All American Orgy Red Hook Fifty Dead Men Walking N/AMidnight MovieN/ADVD Rigged DVD N/A Baby Blues Fling DVD JCVD N/A Paraiso Travel Theatrical Rock the Paint N/A Familiar Strangers DVD 2008 Disco WormsExit Speed A Christmas Proposal Christmas Town At Jesus' Side The Coverup Goat Story The Missing Lynx Theatrical N/A XIII: The Conspiracy N/A The Poker House All media House of Fallen Garrison Guns Sticks and Stones 2007 Booky & the Secret Santa All media N/A Where Is Winky's Horse? All media Hack! DVD N/A Ten Inch Hero All media My Friend Bernard The Big Slice DVD N/A 2006 A Crime Guilty Hearts All media 2005 Buckaroo: The Movie Wheelmen 2003 2001 The Last Brickmaker in America
References
External links Phase 4 Films Inc. page kaboom! Entertainment Inc. page