The Bathory film, about Elizabeth Bathory the seventeenth century countess who allegedly bathed in the blood of virgins, is at the centre of a blackmail controversy today.

Former production staff stole the film and were threatening to release it on the Internet if they weren't given GB £12,000. That's not really a lot of money, and it doesn't say that it was each either!

The two production staff have just been given eight and ten month suspended sentences for trying to blackmail the producer of the film Deana Jakubiskova-Horvathova.

The story comes from Ananova and reveals that Famke Janssen was originally set to play the role – I think she's fabulous – but she dropped out and Anna Friel wrote to the producer in Slovak and won him over for an audition, during which he was convinced.

This is the first time I've heard of the production being blackmailed for the film, usually it's just leaked on the Internet, but this case could start a worrying trend.

Forget leaking it for free, here's a chance to blackmail the production, get loads of cash, and double cross them to still release it on the Internet. Of course I'm not suggesting that you should do that at all, it's just a humorous thought.

Apparently the film was due to be released this autumn, but now sound problems mean it will be delayed until January at the earliest. Perhaps the sound problems can be blamed on the stealing of the film.