A vitamin maker has sued film producers at a Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday over a botched product placement involving "Walk The Line" actress Reese Witherspoon, The Hollywood Reporter said. Envision and its chief executive officer Remington Chase and product placement firm Brand-in Entertainment has been sued by Natrol Inc for breach of contract.
According to the lawsuit and the agreement attached, Natrol has shelled out $180,000 back in 2011 for Witherspoon, who was initially attached to the film Envision was working on, to subtly promote the plaintiff's product in the movie. Natrol claimed that Witherspoon's character in the movie would have her at one point endorsing the product, and say that the product, which could be found on any major retailer, could help people with their sleep and stress issues aside from protecting the immune system.
Although Natrol has not named the title of the film, THR said several of the characters' names in the product integration agreement were similar to the characters of the film about a woman with OCD titled "Rule #1."
The film, said THR, is also financed by Emmett/Furla Films. However, a cocaine trafficking scandal involving Chase and his partner had caused the film company to distance itself from the movie.
Natrol insisted in the lawsuit that because Witherspoon backed out from the film, the vitamin maker is entitled to recoup the balance of its initial investment back after Envision stopped making refunds.
THR was unable to reach Envision. Brand-in Entertainment CEO Rolfe Auerbach told the entertainment news site, "No comment. We'll be dealing with that in court."
This wasn't the first time both Envision and the product placement firm had been sought legal action over a botched product placement. In January, the two companies were sued by Remy Cointreau when terms of the agreement were not up to the French cognac maker's expectations in the film "2 Guns," of which THR said is ironically another Emmett/Furla film. A default was entered with regard to the case when Envision and Brand-in failed to respond.
