Film director and all-around maniac Uwe Boll is suing Billy Zane, claiming the actor failed to live up to an agreement with Boll regarding promotion and distribution of the 2005 film Bloodrayne.
In the suit, Boll claimed Zane suggested Bloodrayne’s U.S. theatrical distribution should be handled by Romar Entertainment, and that along with Romar founder James Schramm, promised the movie would open in 2000 theaters across the country. A $10 million advance paid to Romar was intended to be used for advertising and promotion, according to the Hollywood Reporter, but Boll said the movie only opened in 950 screens. Despite this, Zane and Schramm received “at least” $900,000 in payments from the deal. Romar Entertainment’s website indicates the company is no longer is business.
Zane appeared in Bloodrayne as Elrich, alongside other notable talents including Kristianna Loken, Michael Madsen, Udo Kier, Meat Loaf and utterly inexplicably, Oscar winner Ben Kingsley. Zane has appeared in numerous movies and television shows over the course of career spanning more than 20 years, but is widely regarded by critics as being particularly awesome in 1995’s Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight. Despite speculation to the contrary, he was in fact not the bald guy from The Mummy.
Boll is well-known to videogamers and movie fans alike for making shockingly bad movies based on videogames, with previous efforts including Alone in the Dark and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. Unsurprisingly, Bloodrayne flopped badly upon release, and ended up making only $4 million in worldwide box-office sales. The movie cost $25 million to make.
