Chinese sponsor demands changes to 'Transformers 4' film

[June 21, 2014]  (Reuters) - A Chinese investment firm has demanded that Paramount Pictures remove scenes from the upcoming action film "Transformers: Age of Extinction" because it believes the movie studio did not meet the obligations of a sponsorship deal between the two companies.

Beijing Pangushi Investment Co. Ltd., in a statement dated June 18, said it terminated its contract with Paramount, a unit of Viacom Inc, and that any images featuring the company's building should be deleted from the film or its marketing materials.

The movie, the fourth installment in the blockbuster "Transformers" series, is set for worldwide release on June 27.

A Paramount spokesman said on Friday that Pangu Plaza, owned by the Beijing investment firm, has a "prominent placement in Transformers 4 and it looks beautiful on screen."

"We regret that Pangu is not currently satisfied with certain aspects of our collaboration and are working to resolve its concerns," the spokesman said.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by David Gregorio)

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