Anchor Bay Sues BF1 Over 8-Pic Output Deal

Anchor Bay, thehome entertainment division of Starz Media,filed suit today against Bill Yordy’s BF1 Films claiming the Glendale-based company owes it nearly $2M in advances. Anchor Bayclaims that BF1failed todelivera series of films set up in a 2008 eight-film output deal. The only BF1film released by Anchor Bay was the animated Velveteen Rabbit,direct to DVD in 2009. Among theBF1 films that Anchor Bay says it hasn’t seen are When Calls The Heart, Preacher’s Daughter, Only the River Runs Free and Warhammer. Anchor Bay also alleges that Yordy and BF1 claimed to have copyrights, insurance and financingon the films when it did not and misrepresented its deal with Anchor Bayin dealings with other companies. BF1′s actions also resulted in the termination of BF1′s licensing agreement with Codex, Anchor Bay claims, delaying the release of Warhammer. The suit, filed in L.A. Superior Court, seeks compensatory damages and legal fees as well.