Left Behind Saga Continues ! 8-Year Deadlock Over Film Rights Comes to an End

Fans who have been patiently anticipating a fourth installment in the Left Behind series of Christian-thriller films may not have to wait much longer. A settlement in the eight-year-long dispute over the series' film rights signals a legal greenlight that means the saga can continue.

Andre van Heerden, CEO of the Left Behind series production company, Cloud Ten Pictures, is available to discuss the settlement and the subsequent excitement it brings regarding the likely awakening of one of the most popular straight-to-video film collections of all time.

Details of the settlement aside, all disputes relating to the three films produced by Cloud Ten, based on the first and second books in the Left Behind series, have been waived. In exchange, the Reverend Timothy LaHaye, one of the authors of the books, and plaintiff in the case, has been granted the opportunity to remake the films as he envisions them. If, in a defined period of time, LaHaye does not exercise his option to produce the films, Cloud Ten will retain its current rights to go on and produce the sequels.

"In essence," concludes van Heerden, "the Left Behind stories will continue, in one respect or another. It is a tremendous relief to put this case in our rearview mirror and, because of the power these films hold in bringing audiences closer to Christ, it is also very exciting to know the series can resume."

ABOUT ANDRE VAN HEERDEN

CEO, Producer, Director, Writer-Cloud Ten Pictures

André van Heerden has been working in practically every aspect of film and video production for over 15 years. His very first documentary, done as a video thesis at Carleton University's prestigious Journalism school, was sold to the National Film Board of Canada. Since then he has produced, written, directed, and post-supervised numerous documentaries, dozens of TV programs, and countless numbers of commercials, trailers, infomercials, and special features.

Most notably Mr. van Heerden directed the feature films, REVELATION, TRIBULATION, JUDGMENT and DECEIVED; wrote the features JUDGMENT and LEFT BEHIND: WORLD AT WAR; co-produced LEFT BEHIND: THE MOVIE and LEFT BEHIND II: TRIBULTION FORCE and produced LEFT BEHIND: WORLD AT WAR. He is widely respected and liked by the cast and crews that he works with and has become one of the most well-known and accomplished filmmakers within the Christian film market.

ABOUT CLOUD TEN PICTURES

Cloud Ten Pictures was founded in 1996 by brothers Peter and Paul Lalonde. The company is the market-leader in the production and marketing of faith-based films.

It's 2000 release of LEFT BEHIND: THE MOVIE, was the top-selling independent video of that year. Cloud Ten has produced and distributed 10 successful feature films and has strong distribution arms through KOCH Entertainment and CNI as well as through Cloud Ten Church Cinemas.

The Financial Post labeled it "one of the most successful independent studios in the English-speaking world."
Long time Cloud Ten producer André van Heerden serves as CEO. Cloud Ten is in active development on four feature films set to shoot in 2009 and looking to possibly acquire other titles as well.

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Judyth Piazza chats with Andre van Heerden on The American Perspective

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com