Kanbar Entertainment says it was hoodwinked by Weinstein Co.
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Kanbar Entertainment is feeling hoodwinked by the Weinstein Co.
The San Francisco-based movie producer has filed a petition in Superior Court to try to force the Weinstein Co. to begin arbitration proceedings to resolve disputes between the two companies over the production and release of the animated movie ‘Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil.’ The movie was originally going to be released Jan. 15, but in December the Weinstein Co. said it was postponing the release to February at the earliest. Since then, no new date has been unveiled.
At that time, Weinstein Co. senior executive David Glasser said the company wanted to make a few tweaks to the movie and was also focusing its efforts on the January release of ‘Youth in Revolt.’ Glasser said in December that the teen comedy was strong enough to ‘own a couple of weeks.’
Besides the delayed release date, other issues between the two companies include funds that Kanbar alleges Weinstein Co. has not contributed for the movie. Kanbar’s filing also charges that Weinstein is in breach of its joint-production agreement for the movie -- a sequel to the surprise 2006 hit ‘Hoodwinked: The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood’ -- because it never presented a plan to market and distribute the film or make a trailer for it, per the agreement. The filing says the movie was ‘substantially completed’ in April 2009.
Kanbar is also upset that the Weinstein Co. went ahead with a partnership to offer toys tied to the movie with Burger King without Kanbar’s approval. Burger King started offering the toys in January even though there was no movie to promote.
In his declaration in the filing, Kanbar Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Russell Pollock said the partnership between the two companies has a clause for arbitration and that last month Kanbar sought to start proceedings but that the Weinstein Co. has delayed them.
‘TWC has refused to commence arbitration proceedings indicating that it would oppose a petition to compel arbitration,’ Pollock’s declaration said.
‘Arbitration,’ his statement added, is ‘essential, among other things, to get the picture to market, to remove TWC [The Weinstein Co.] from any further involvement, and put the ‘Hoodwinked’ franchise back on its feet.’
A Weinstein Co. spokeswoman declined to comment.
-- Joe Flint
Related Post: Weinstein Co. says it is delaying release of ‘Hoodwinked Too’
Photo: A scene from ‘Hoodwinked.’ Credit: Kanbar Entertainment.
