Suit Charges Cineplex Backed Out of 25 Films

Cineplex Odeon Corp. and its Los Angeles-based subsidiaries have been sued by a director and two entertainment executives who allege Cineplex backed out of a deal to produce 25 films. The suit was brought by two executives of New Vision Entertainment Corp., co-chairman Samuel Schulman and chief executive Irvine Levin, and director Angelo Drossos.

Cineplex’s alleged actions caused Carolco, a movie producer and distributor, to back out of negotiations with the plaintiffs to produce the movies--an agreement that would have brought the plaintiffs about $11 million, the suit said. It seeks unstated damages plus punitive damage.

A spokeswoman for Cineplex, a theater operator and entertainment company based in Toronto, said she had “no information” about the suit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.