Dean Koontz novel ODD THOMAS is an unreleased movie now shown in the Philippines

ODD THOMAS is a movie that nobody seems to have heard of (not unless you are familiar with the novel from which it is based upon), simply because there is no marketing for this movie, and it pretty much feels non-existent because the United States release date for the film was delayed indefinitely. But now it has found its way in Philippine theaters, showing this week nationwide

ODD THOMAS is a movie based on the novel of the same name by Dean Koontz, about a clairvoyant short-order cook working in a desert town who has the ability to see dead people and proactively acts upon them by being at the aid of the police, in solving crimes. He, then encounters a potentially dangerous and very mysterious man who intends to cause a massacre. [full article after the jump]

The film is directed by Stephen Sommers who is best known for his work on such films as The Mummy movies (with Brendan Fraser) and Van Helsing. But this movie is much smaller scale compared to his usual visual mayhem movies. ODD THOMAS stars Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation), Addison Timlin (Californication), and Willem Dafoe (Spider-man, Platoon, Daybreakers)

THE CONTROVERSIAL CASE
Much controversy surrounds this movie. The producers of of the movie has sued several entities alleging that they failed to provide $35 million that would have gone toward marketing and distributing the movie and paying back production loans.

Two Out of Ten Prods., known at TOOT, and Fusion Films filed their lawsuit against Outsource Media Group Fund, ABS Investment Group, individuals Craig Chang and Mark Bishop, and Outsource Media Group. The latter, referred to as OMG in the lawsuit, is run by principals Bradley Holmes, Dan Reardon and Harrison Kordestani, an executive producer of lower-budget horrors and thrillers such as The Coffin, Already Dead, In a Dark Place and Intervention.

According to TOOT and Fusion, OMG pledged to spend $25 million on prints and advertising to support a release of Odd Thomas in the U.S. and another $10 million to partially refinance certain loans. Several deadlines came and went, but most of the money never materialized, according to the lawsuit, filed by the Law Offices of Alan S. Gutman in Beverly Hills.

The lawsuit alleges that when money was promised but did not arrive, “substantial problems with the distribution of the film and with the plaintiff’s existing investors and international distributors” arose.

The producers had several meetings with OMG at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012 and amended their agreement, and promises that money would be forthcoming were again made. Some of the money, according to the lawsuit, was to come from Justin Thompson, a son of one of the founders of Skype, and via Mark Bishop, an expert in mortgage-backed securities.

During the meetings at Cannes, the lawsuit alleges, “Bishop made numerous representations that their funding was in place” and that “Bishop and other high-net-worth individuals were supporting OMG’s obligations.”

While at Cannes, says the lawsuit, Bishop “reiterated that he had $45 million in bonds that he was willing to pledge to ensure that the print and advertising commitment for the picture was met.”
Still, the money never arrived, according to the lawsuit.
TOOT and Fusion are suing for compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs of the suit and other relief.

THE RELEASE
Because of the lawsuit, it looks like the movie will be put on hold for such a long time that it may end up in home video or video on demand. It is released in other countries on DVD, and but somehow it has found its way on Philippine cinemas this week.Check the trailer for the movie below: