Weinstein Company Archives - The Playlist

‘Les Miserables’ Miniseries On The Way From The Team Behind ‘War & Peace’

Kevin Jagernauth — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 18:57:05 +0000

I didn’t watch the miniseries adaptation of “War & Peace” earlier this year, but that’s on me, because by most accounts it was pretty good. So, as I figure out some time to square away and catch up, the team behind the show are moving ahead and taking another classic property to the small screen.

READ MORE: The 25 Best TV Shows Of 2016 So Far

THR reports that The Weinstein Company and the BBC are teaming up for “Les Miserables.” Andrew Davis, who penned “War & Peace,” will take Victor Hugo‘s tome and spread out the story across six episodes, that will include expanding on the narrative portions that weren’t included in the hit musical, which is probably the most popular adaptation of the book.

Continue reading ‘Les Miserables’ Miniseries On The Way From The Team Behind ‘War & Peace’ at The Playlist.

Harvey Weinstein Says ‘Lion’ “Could Get Nominated For Eight Or Nine Academy Awards”

Kevin Jagernauth — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 18:34:01 +0000

Harvey Weinstein has been facing a lot of scrutiny ever since Quentin Tarantino‘s “The Hateful Eight” underperformed at the box office last winter. The industry seems to be seeing vultures circling The Weinstein Company, an image that hasn’t been helped by the studio kicking back two movies from summer release: the barely promoted period drama “Tulip Fever,” which will now land in February 2017, and the McDonald’s movie “The Founder,” starring Michael Keaton, which moves from August to a limited bow in December before going wide in January.

Continue reading Harvey Weinstein Says ‘Lion’ “Could Get Nominated For Eight Or Nine Academy Awards” at The Playlist.

SFIFF: Robert Duvall Talks Career Highlights, The Difficulties Of Getting ‘Quixote’ Afloat & How The Weinsteins Botched ‘The Road’

Rodrigo Perez — Mon, 03 May 2010 03:01:00 +0000

On Friday night at the 2010 San Francisco International Film Festival, Robert Duvall was presented the Pete J. Owens Award for acting, before the West Coast Premiere of Duvall’s most recent role in “Get Low.”

While much of the evening was spent on a retrospective of Duvall’s impressive career, he also took time to look ahead. Duvall reiterated his excitement about the crawling-towards-a-greenlight production of Terry Gilliam’s “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” yet at the same time, the actor sounded a mix of doubt and optimism.

Continue reading SFIFF: Robert Duvall Talks Career Highlights, The Difficulties Of Getting ‘Quixote’ Afloat & How The Weinsteins Botched ‘The Road’ at The Playlist.

Weekend Box Office- ‘Final Destination’ Wins Bloodbath At The B.O.

Gabe Toro — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:28:00 +0000

Nikki Finke quotes a studio executive talking about this weekend, where four R-rated films topped the box office, saying, “What a sad statement on movie-going humanity.” Hm, is this executive at Warner Bros., home of the R-rated, male-irresponsibility flick “The Hangover” or the violent, often grotesque “Watchmen”? Is he at Fox, distributors of the Franco-hating sex trafficking action movie “Taken” and the wildly historically inaccurate kids’ picture “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs”? Is he at Sony, the company that distributed “The Ugly Truth,” where a ten year old boy rapes a woman with a remote controlled vibrator?

Continue reading Weekend Box Office- ‘Final Destination’ Wins Bloodbath At The B.O. at The Playlist.

Will The ‘Inglourious Basterds’ UFC Bait & Switch Marketing Strategy Backfire?

Spencer Martin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Something that’s been on the brain…

All this “Inglourious Basterds” news has hit and it’s good news for the fans of Quentin Tarantino (no major cuts to the film, some soundtrack notes) but we haven’t even got to the iffy partnership announced late last week.

The Weinstein Company’s dubious attempt to cross-market their film, “Inglourious Basterds” to young, meat-headed Ultimate Fighting Championship fans is just a very peculiar, perhaps desperate proposition for a picture that has already suffered luke-warm Cannes reviews, a campy trailer and pre-release prequel talk that most likely exists just to hold the public’s interest.

Continue reading Will The ‘Inglourious Basterds’ UFC Bait & Switch Marketing Strategy Backfire? at The Playlist.

‘The Road’ Producers Make Official 2009 Statement

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:21:00 +0000

You knew it was coming. 2929 Productions, the company behind “The Road” said today:

“We know the release of ‘The Road’ is eagerly anticipated by millions of fans who love the book as well as many others. The film simply won’t be ready in time to release in 2008. Depicting McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic tale involves an incredible amount of visual effects and we want to make sure to give this beautiful movie the time it needs to be perfected.”

No date has been set for the release, though THR said a March or February release is ready.

Continue reading ‘The Road’ Producers Make Official 2009 Statement at The Playlist.

It’s Mostly Official: ‘The Road’ Not Coming Out Til Feb Or March 2009

Rodrigo Perez — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:53:00 +0000

Man, what a shame. It’s been a bad week for director Jon Hillcoat, actor Viggo Mortensen and the Weinstein Company. Hell, it’s been a bad week for this Oscar season. It looks like the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road,” is moving to to 2009 like reports have suggested it might.

First came the news that Hillcoat’s film might not be ready and then came a test screening that was met with mixed results.

Continue reading It’s Mostly Official: ‘The Road’ Not Coming Out Til Feb Or March 2009 at The Playlist.

Scott Rudin Takes His Name Off ‘The Reader’; Movie Is Now Officially Fucked, Thanks Harvey!

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:21:00 +0000

When the parents fight, it’s the children that always suffer, right? We hope you’re happy Harvey Weinstein because all your griping has blown up in your face and fucked “The Reader” beyond belief. Scott Rudin has just taken his name of the picture as producer which means this film is tainted goods three months before it even hits theaters. Here’s the backstory as to why:

You knew that when Harvey Weinstein got his way over producer Scott Rudin — so that Stephen Daldry’s “The Reader,” could open in cinemas on the 12th of December 2008 in the thick of the Oscar season — that it couldn’t possibly be the final chapter in their all-too-public display of corporate greed (the film is the final co-production of the late Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella no less, it’s great when you squabble over a project that respected and loved film giants that are no longer with us have belabored to get up on screen).

Continue reading Scott Rudin Takes His Name Off ‘The Reader’; Movie Is Now Officially Fucked, Thanks Harvey! at The Playlist.

Samuel Mutha Fuckin’ Jackson Breaks Into U.S. Box Office

M. P. — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:09:00 +0000

It was a winning weekend at the box office for Neil Labute’s racially tense thriller, “Lakeview Terrace.” The film starring Samuel L. Jackson made $15.6 million. The film and its success might signal the deathknell of LaBute’s creative career, but perhaps the beginning of a commercial one? Either way, it has to be seen as some sort of comeback after the remake of 2006’s “The Wicker Man,” which was universally laughed at from audiences and critics alike (a film so excruciatingly bad, it’s earned itself an ironist cult following).

Continue reading Samuel Mutha Fuckin’ Jackson Breaks Into U.S. Box Office at The Playlist.

Jim Caviezel Can’t Catch A Break: ‘Outlander’ Going Straight To DVD?

Spencer Martin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:16:00 +0000

As we mentioned earlier this year, the young and handsome Jim Caviezel hasn’t been able to land a decent acting job since Terrance Malicks 1998 film, “The Thin Red Line,” (ok, there’s “The Passion of The Christ,” but it didn’t really help his career much).The recent news coming from the Weinstein Company has his career going from bad to worse. Caviezel has a $47 million movie in post-production, “Outlander,” which was supposed to be released this fall is going down the path of straight to DVD, according to /film.com

Even though the movie was surely going to be a box-office bomb, at least it was an opportunity for Caviezel to get his mug back on the big-screen.

Continue reading Jim Caviezel Can’t Catch A Break: ‘Outlander’ Going Straight To DVD? at The Playlist.

Universal Gets Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglorious Bastards’

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:32:00 +0000

Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards” has gone to Universal Studios according to Nikki Finke and SlashFilm (Tarantino is currently in Germany doing scouting and is said to be extremely eager to have this thing ready for Cannes: we say, please don’t rush it).

Update: According to Variety, Universal is “eyeing” ‘Bastards,’ but says they’ve also “inked a deal.” This short report does seem like a quick, get-in-the-game shot so they don’t look like they’re behind what the previous two reports have already said.

Continue reading Universal Gets Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglorious Bastards’ at The Playlist.

Not Quite The Ballad Of Human Kindness: ‘Boy-A’ Is A Striking And Haunting Look At The Failure To Forgive

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:29:00 +0000

The new Weinstein Company’s new British indie, “Boy A” opens tomorrow and it’s a striking, raw and haunting examination of humanity’s capacity for absolution, and not an entirely flawless look at the ugly side of humanity vis a vis this very failure.

In a career-making performance Andrew Garfield stars as Jack, a young adult with a grim past, but with the faint possibility of a second chance. Having had committed a heinous act a child and locked up in a juvenile facility for as long as was legally possible.

Continue reading Not Quite The Ballad Of Human Kindness: ‘Boy-A’ Is A Striking And Haunting Look At The Failure To Forgive at The Playlist.

Quentin Tarantino Eyes Leonard DiCaprio For German Nazi Role In ‘Inglorious Bastards’ – Not A Good Look

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:24:00 +0000

So much for our artful “Inglorious Bastards” casting suggestions, it appears Quentin Tarantino is going another route: Hollywood. Despite the fact that 60-70% of ‘Bastards’ is spoken in French and German, and is practically a foreign film, the writer/director is eyeing American A-listers to play what should be foreign roles.

Wait, how’s that? Well, sadly, yes. According to Variety, Q is looking at Leonard DiCaprio for the role of Col. Hans Landa, a trecherous and cunning German Nazi, and one of the lead roles.

Continue reading Quentin Tarantino Eyes Leonard DiCaprio For German Nazi Role In ‘Inglorious Bastards’ – Not A Good Look at The Playlist.

Weinstein’s Sign Deal With Showtime, Tarantino Apparently Meeting With Pitt Today About ‘Basterds’

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:51:00 +0000

In news that suggests the Weinstein Company is in financial straights – or at least could use a serious infusion of cash – the business has signed an exclusive seven-year theatrical-movie-output deal with cable channel Showtime which includes Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards.” The deal guarantees they will have first TV dibs on and broadcast rights to ‘Basterds’ and Rob Marshall’s musical “Nine” (which just added Kate Hudson to its cast).

Harvey Weinstein is producing the film with longtime producer Lawrence Bender, but evidently they still need some studio co-financing to get the project off the ground.

Continue reading Weinstein’s Sign Deal With Showtime, Tarantino Apparently Meeting With Pitt Today About ‘Basterds’ at The Playlist.

Update: Quentin Tarantino Asks Four Studios: Will You Father My ‘Bastards’? Brad Pitt Rumored In Talks To Star, Film Aiming For October Shoot

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Now that Harvey Weinstien and the Weinstein Company apparently don’t want to – or can’t – finance Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards,” because of their own reported monetary woes, the chatterboxing filmmaker is apparently taking his script around Hollywood looking for someone else to be his patron saint.

The script apparently went out yesterday to Universal, Warner Bros, Paramount and Sony. If Tarantino is still in the process of looking for a sugar daddy studio to father his newest baby, that probably means that Cannes 2009 promise is looking more and more implausible.

Continue reading Update: Quentin Tarantino Asks Four Studios: Will You Father My ‘Bastards’? Brad Pitt Rumored In Talks To Star, Film Aiming For October Shoot at The Playlist.

Sex Sells: New Vicky Cristina Barcelona Trailer & Poster Suggest Marketing Team Not Listening To Woody Allen

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:45:00 +0000

In advertising Woody Allen’s European sex dramedy (drama?), “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” The Weinstein Company probably instructed their marketing, “Look ignore everything Woody says.”

And that’s a good bet. Allen has had one decent “hit” (we use that term lightly) in about a decade (we’re being generous). It was called “Match Point,” and at this point, following all the disappoints after it, it’s starting to feel like just a fluke. So when the nebbish director tried to downplay all the rumored sex scenes, lesbian trysts and three ways in the film (hello, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, the rather unknown, but rather attractive Rebecca Hall), Harvey likely said, “alright, pull out all the stops.”

Which they haven’t even done yet, but they sure haven’t gone out of their way to suggest their isn’t tawdry sex scenes in the film and why would they?

Continue reading Sex Sells: New Vicky Cristina Barcelona Trailer & Poster Suggest Marketing Team Not Listening To Woody Allen at The Playlist.

Werner Herzog & David Lynch Together At Last: Hopefully This Won’t Be Like Chewing Nuts And Gum At The Same Time

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Maybe he’s already trying to make amends for the bad ‘Lieutenant’ idea? This is rather odd, but geniusly demented. German filmmaker Werner Herzog will be teaming up with director turned transcendental-meditation enthusiast David Lynch for the murderous horror-drama “My Son, My Son.” The script was written by Herzog and his longtime assistant director Herbert Golder and is loosely based on the true story of a disturbed man who acts out a Sophocles-like play in his mind and kills his mother.

Continue reading Werner Herzog & David Lynch Together At Last: Hopefully This Won’t Be Like Chewing Nuts And Gum At The Same Time at The Playlist.

The Trades: WB Caught Red-Handed; ‘Speed Racer’ Numbers Debunked, David O.Russell Movie Up & Running Again, Patti Smith Finds A Home

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:47:00 +0000

Those allegedly inflated “Speed Racer” box-office numbers? Oh they were inflated like an air balloon alright. Warner Bros. originally estimated that the film made some $20 million for a second place finish at the box-office this past weekend. Other studios cried foul at their numbers and it’s all blown up in WB’s face. The film actually only grossed $18.6 million and has been demoted to the third spot – laughably behind an Ashton Kutcher rom-com even he bet against.

Continue reading The Trades: WB Caught Red-Handed; ‘Speed Racer’ Numbers Debunked, David O.Russell Movie Up & Running Again, Patti Smith Finds A Home at The Playlist.

‘Joy Division’ Documentary Coming Via Zune And DVD On June 10

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:28:00 +0000

Remember Grant Gee’s documentary on Mancunian post-punk depressives Joy Division, creatively titled, “Joy Division“? Many speculated because it was aquired by the Weinstein Brothers it would come out on DVD with “Control.” It’s not (the JD-feature length DVD comes out June 3 via the Weinsteins’s Miriam Collection, it was originally scheduled for May 25).

According to Pitchfork, the documentary rolls out to DVD on June 10 in conjunction with Genius Entertainment via the Miriam Collection (though Amazon has a June 17 release date), but it’s also coming out concurrently on the Zune player (what’s that?

Continue reading ‘Joy Division’ Documentary Coming Via Zune And DVD On June 10 at The Playlist.

We Not Jammin’: Rights Imbroglio Mars Weinstien’s Bob Marley Biopic; Project May Be Pushed To 2015(!)

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:14:00 +0000

The forthcoming Bob Marley biopic being produced by the Weinstein Company has hit a major snag and its name is Marty Scorsese.

Despite being executive produced by Rita Marley (the film is based on her book, “No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley”) , Scorsese’s also upcoming Marley documentary, being produced by the Marley family-owned Tuff Gong Pictures and Steven Bing’s Shangri La banner, is the first theatrical doc to license Marley songs (and evidently they have first dibs).

Continue reading We Not Jammin’: Rights Imbroglio Mars Weinstien’s Bob Marley Biopic; Project May Be Pushed To 2015(!) at The Playlist.

‘My Blueberry Nights’ & Soundtrack Pushed To April; Film Has Been Recut & Tweaked

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:23:00 +0000

“My Bluberry Nights,” directed by Wong Kar-Wai and starring the acting debut of Norah Jones, has led a troubled life.

In had a mediocre showing at Cannes 2007 and its release date kept getting pushed back (A September release was rumored and test screenings were shown in New York around July too). Then rumors swirled that notorious hatchetman, Harvey Weinstein (the film’s distributor) was taking his scissorhands to the film (or maybe not); either way, edits were being made.

Continue reading ‘My Blueberry Nights’ & Soundtrack Pushed To April; Film Has Been Recut & Tweaked at The Playlist.

Bob Marley Biopic Coming Via The Weinstein Company In 2009; Rita Marley Wants Lauryn Hill To Play Her

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:44:00 +0000

One Bob Marley movie in the works apparently just isn’t enough.

Marty Scorsese might have his upcoming documentary in the works to meet the anniversary of what would have been Marley’s 65th birthday (it won’t see release until February 2010), but now the Weinstein Company have their own picture in the works – this one a biopic.

The maverick film duo Harvey and Bob Weinstein have optioned the rights to “No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley,” written by Rita Marley, the reggae legend’s wife.

Continue reading Bob Marley Biopic Coming Via The Weinstein Company In 2009; Rita Marley Wants Lauryn Hill To Play Her at The Playlist.

Short Cuts: Moldy Peaches Hate Babba Wabba, Weinsteins Rival Criterion, Wale Loves The Show About Nothing

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Apparently during the Barbara Walters Academy Awards special right before the Oscars last Sunday, Babba Wabba told guest Ellen Page that she didn’t “get” the Moldy Peaches. Well, Peaches’ Adam Green responded to Walters calling her a smelly old claptrap (sort of). “I don’t think anyone’s taking Barbara’s opinion too seriously,” he said adding that the fact that Walters sang along with Page is evidence that every senile Grandmother on Planet Earth loves the band. “You couldn’t surprise me now,” “If Michael Jordan turned out to be the biggest Moldy Peaches fan, I’d be, like, ‘Join the f—ing club.’” [EW]

Does the Criterion Collection have competition now via the Miriam Collection?

Continue reading Short Cuts: Moldy Peaches Hate Babba Wabba, Weinsteins Rival Criterion, Wale Loves The Show About Nothing at The Playlist.

‘Joy Division’ Trailer Looks To Make Up For Bust That Was ‘Control’

Rodrigo Perez — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:05:00 +0000

Remember that the Weinstein’s bought up the documentary, “Joy Division” to complement their faithful, but dour and tedious dramatization of the dour Manchester post-punkers in “Control”? [ed. and presumably to boost sales of the dvd, bundling the two films together] Here’s the trailer for the doc which features the late Factory Records impresario Tony Wilson in what is presumably one of his last few recorded interviews. It has some great unseen footage and generally looks a lot more interesting that the Anton Corbijn version, which wasn’t terrible per se, just meek as a mouse.

Continue reading ‘Joy Division’ Trailer Looks To Make Up For Bust That Was ‘Control’ at The Playlist.

Exclusive: “I’m Not There” Pre-Sales Near 20K In Advance Tickets; Poised To Break Film Forum Records

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:18:00 +0000

Anyone thinking the Weinstein Company’s slow, rolling-out and scaled-back approach for Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There” (all of four theaters initially) was puzzling and or too modest might want to reconsider their position were kinda right. The Weinsteins actually changed and expanded their plan eventually (IMT opens in 50 markets).

Advance pre-sales for the movie which debuts November 21 exclusively at New York’s Film Forum have already nearly reached the 20K mark (they should surpass that mark in a day or two) and has exceeded all of the repetory film house’s expectations and records.

Continue reading Exclusive: “I’m Not There” Pre-Sales Near 20K In Advance Tickets; Poised To Break Film Forum Records at The Playlist.