Pardon me if I sound a little smug about this, it’s just that I am … Last week I threw a little comment onto the Michael Moore / Disney thread commenting on how Disney was putting themselves into breach of contract with their actions and how this was not such a bright thing … Well, yesterday Variety reported that the Weinsteins are on their way out when their current contract with Disney expires in 2005. As was the case with the Disney / Pixar contract negotiation Eisner lowballed the Miramax founders and tried to rein in their autonomy – the Moore case is a specific incident cited, though there are others – and the Weinsteins responded by basically flipping Eisner the bird, figuratively speaking. The most likely scenario involves the Weinsteins leaving the Miramax and Dimension names with Disney and founding a new production company / distribution agreement somewhere else, though there is a remote chance that they may be able to buy back the name and back catalog.
Why is this an issue if Disney gets to keep the name? Simple – Miramax was built purely on the personalities of the Weinsteins and if they go you can bank on the HUGE majority of the talent going with them to their new company. Can you picture Tarantino, Rodriguez, Minghella or Scorsese making films for Eisner? Me either. As much as I dislike a lot of the Weinsteins’ business practices the simple fact is that they have an uncanny eye for acquiring talented people and absolutely nobody can work the Oscar voters like they can. If they leave Miramax all of the company’s credibility goes with them.
The Variety article says that Miramax is currently responsible for 40% of Disney’s live action output so losing this and Pixar in the same calendar year is an enormous blow for the Mouse …
Okay, I am not sure what is the resolution of this problem, but I definitely know, that it takes away press from not only Miramax best, but the most interesting movie release of the whole summer.
While all these blockbusters are about to storm our movie theaters, I am mostly awaiting this movie, “Garden State”.
I have only seen the beautiful trailer, but if the movie is anywhere close to it, it might just be one of the best movies we have seen all year long. The people who have seen it at Sundance say it is awesome, so I am hoping for something special.
Anyway, i just wanted to mention this, because I am worried that this whole discussion involving 9/11 Fahrenheit overshadows this movie, which would not be fair at all, because Fahrenheit might probably not be the best movie Miramax has on its shelfs this year.
Actually, the Weinstein’s are buying 9/11 out personally. Their own cash. Disney wasn’t allowing them to find a new distributor as Miramax so I’m guessing that they went the personal transaction route so that Disney would no longer be involved in any way … apparently Focus Features and Newmarket are in a bit of a bidding war to acquite it now …
Good riddance to bad rubbish I say. How many more bad decisions does Eisner need to make before he gets a swift kick in the ass? And who would be willing to take over Disney and rebuild it after what has happened over the last few years? Sad.
Top Story: Miramax Gets Fahrenheit Back From Disney
After an undoubtedly few tense weeks, Miramax Films and Walt Disney Co. have finally reached a deal regarding Oscar-winning Michael Moore’s controversial new documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, Reuters reports.
Disney–who has refused to distribute Fahrenheit, which chronicles America’s response to the Sept. 11 attacks and links the Bush family to Osama bin Laden–will let Miramax acquire the rights to the film, giving Miramax’s co-chiefs Harvey and Bob Weinstein freedom to look for another distributor. Miramax spokesman Matthew Hiltzik said the Weinsteins are providing a “term sheet” to Disney based on a similar deal for a previous, controversial Miramax film, Kevin Smith’s Dogma, and that the brothers “look forward to promptly completing this transaction,” Reuters reports.
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