Matthew Weiner

Creator Matthew Weiner Talks MAD MEN Season Five; Says Two-Hour Premiere Is a “Big MAD MEN Movie”

by Christina Radish    Posted: January 17th, 2012 at 5:24 pm

As part of the AMC portion of the TCA Winter Press Tour, the cast and creator of Mad Men (which premieres on March 25^th) hosted a cocktail party, which appropriately gave out a jar of green olives, just perfect for martinis, as a parting gift. During this interview, show creator/executive producer/writer/director Matthew Weiner gave very slight hints at where Season 5 is going, how he feels about all the network series that have been inspired by his creation, the themes and arcs he’s focusing on this year, why he wanted to do a two-hour premiere episode, how far ahead he plans things out, how often he’s surprised by where the story and characters take him, that there was a point where he was convinced that this season would never happen, how he feels about where this season ended up, and stressed that it was not his decision to keep the show off the air last year. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

MAD MEN Creator Matthew Weiner Hints at What Viewers Might See at the End of the Series

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 8:49 pm

Though working to bring Mad Men back almost each and every season proved to be a chore when negotiating with AMC, series creator Matthew Weiner likely has a more difficult task ahead of him as he works on what will be the final three seasons of the series as was dictated in the deal revealed in April of this year. Weiner will have to effectively end a series with rich characters that audiences have come to love for seven years by the time all is said and done. However, though the end is still roughly three years away, Weiner can’t help but think about how the series will end. And while he doesn’t know everything that will happen in the end, Weiner says, “I do know how the whole show ends.” Find out what else he had to say after the jump.

MAD MEN Season Five Episodes Set for 47-Minute Run Time

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: September 19th, 2011 at 12:51 pm

Back when creator/executive producer Matthew Weiner had finally closed his deal for the final three seasons of Mad Men, it was said that each episode airing on AMC would be trimmed down for 45-minutes in length as opposed to the usual 47-minutes that had been previously allotted. The episodes would, however, remain the proper length for OnDemand, DVD and other formats. However, Variety now reports that change in the running time has now been axed every single episode aired will be the 47-minute version. Weiner says, “”I don’t know how they managed to make that work out. It was a lot of worry. I’m so thrilled.” Frankly, while two minutes seems like an inconsequential amount to worry about trimming, when it comes to TV, every minute counts, especially when that show is something as spectacular as Mad Men. Sadly the fifth season doesn’t premiere until March 2012, but it will be worth the wait.

Matthew Weiner Closes Deal with AMC for Final Three Seasons of MAD MEN

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: April 1st, 2011 at 10:14 am

This week there’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the negotiations for Mad Men creator/executive producer Matthew Weiner’s deal at AMC to keep his involvement with the hit series alive. Though a three-year deal for $30 million sounded sweet, apparently there were some issues creatively that Weiner wasn’t pleased with. One such issue would’ve forced Weiner to get rid of two cast members every season, for the next three seasons and to cut the episodes’ running time by two minutes.

Thankfully, the former issues is no longer a problem as the cast is safe from any financial issues that brought about the potential cast cuts in the first place, and Weiner reserves the right to axe character simply on a creative basis.  However, as for the episode length, with the exception of the season premiere and finale, episodes will only be 45 minutes in length, but for OnDemand, DVD and other formats, the episodes will remain at 47 minutes. More after the jump.

MAD MEN Officially Picked Up for Fifth Season; Will Premiere in Early 2012

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: March 29th, 2011 at 10:02 am

We just heard that a deal for AMC to pick up the fifth season of Mad Men, and now it’s official. However, Deadline reports that the cable network has not yet finalized a deal with the series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner yet. The hold-up with Weiner is the reason the premiere of the fifth season will be pushed back to early 2012. The official statement from the network says, “AMC has officially authorized production of season 5 of Mad Men, triggering our option with Lionsgate.  While we are getting a later start than in years past due to ongoing, key non-cast negotiations, Mad Men will be back for a fifth season in early 2012.” So it’s some bittersweet news for Mad Men fans as we get a fifth season, but not for another year.

Deal for Fifth Season of MAD MEN is Closer, but Premiere May Be Delayed Again

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: March 22nd, 2011 at 11:20 am

Last year the negotiations for the fourth season of Mad Men resulted in the usual summer season premiere to be pushed back until August. It appears we’re having déjà vu all over again as negotiations for AMC’s hit series are still happening. Deadline reports though a deal is close to wrapping up Matthew Weiner for another season of Mad Men, the problem is the negotiations have gone well past the previous length of time it took to get the series’ fourth season locked down. When negotiations didn’t end until January last year, that’s when the show’s fourth season premiere was pushed until August. With this deal, the fifth season may not end up hitting the air until the fall. I suppose Mad Men fans should be grateful that the fifth season is actually happening (though it seems like a no-brainer), but the delay is certainly frustrating.

MAD MEN Character Roger Sterling’s Memoirs are for Real; Due to Hit Bookstores Next Month

by Talia Soghomonian    Posted: October 27th, 2010 at 5:16 pm

Remember when John Slattery’s character Roger Sterling published his memoirs in season 4 of Mad Men? Well, it turns out it wasn’t just a prop for the hit AMC TV series. Sterling’s Gold is actually going to be available at a bookstore near you in November. Published by Grove/Atlantic it was too good of an opportunity not to grab for both the show’s creator and publisher since Mad Men is one of the most popular TV shows with critics, winning Emmys and other accolades since its inception.

Subtitled “Wit and Wisdom of an Ad Man”, the memoir offers the golden rules that mad ad man Roger Sterling Jr. lives by. The show’s creator Matthew Weiner basically inhabited Sterling’s mind wrote the preface and as well as the text. John Slattery’s head shot will grace the cover, and that’s his only involvement in the book, as far as I know. More about Sterling’s Gold and a sneak peak at some of Roger’s pearls of wisdom after the jump.

Jack Black, Matt Dillon, and Renée Zellweger Join Matthew Weiner’s YOU ARE HERE; Rachel McAdams Offered Role

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 25th, 2010 at 11:44 am

Fresh off an unsurprisingly stellar season four of AMC’s hit show Mad Men, creator/head writer/director/all-knowing-Oz Matthew Weiner is currently busy casting his feature film debut, the romantic dramedy You Are Here. Pajiba reports that Jack Black, Matt Dillon, and Renée Zellweger are currently attached to star, and with an offer out to Rachel McAdams to join the cast as well.

Last year, we reported that Weiner was looking to cast Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis in the project.  However, when the film didn’t materialize as fast as Weiner was hoping, filming was pushed back to this year in lieu of scheduling issues with the filming of Mad Men.  It looks like Weiner has chosen the current hiatus between seasons four and five to get the project back on track.  For more on the film, including a plot description and which characters each actor will play, hit the jump.

Mel Gibson to Be Among MAD MEN?

by Ti Alan Chase    Posted: September 23rd, 2010 at 3:08 pm

Mel Gibson’s career – which has taken him from International Action Star to Controversial Religious Auteur to Frightening Ex – may continue its capricious trajectory right onto the small screen.  The jury is still out on whether Gibson has any future left on the silver screen, but the star seems to be hedging his bets by lobbying for a prime role in television.  According to Women on the Web, Gibson recently met with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner to discuss the possibility of guest-starring in the show’s fifth season.

Gibson is anxious to be involved in AMC’s Emmy-winning show and apparently Weiner is keen on the idea, too.  He sees the intense actor as a perfect foil for Jon Hamm’s Don Draper.  This seems like a win-win situation all around.  A prolonged stint on a well-written, well-acted show would remind the world that Gibson is still a very gifted actor and it would not seem like he was “slumming” in television if he were on a critical darling like Mad Men. And having an A-list actor (even one as tarnished as Gibson) would only increase Mad Men’s luster and would probably attract hundreds of thousands of new viewers.  This curiosity factor could really help boost the show’s audience next year (this season it has had to struggle to stay above 2 million viewers).

Director Adam McKay Would Want Simon Pegg to Star in His Vision of THE BOYS

by Jason Barr    Posted: July 20th, 2010 at 7:54 pm

Adam McKay (Step Brothers) has not yet officially signed on to direct Sony Pictures’ adaptation of the Garth Ennis comic The Boys; according to the director, there’s no way he would unless the film meets two criteria:

1) the film is rated R
2) it stars Simon Pegg

When asked if he had talked to Pegg about The Boys, McKay told CHUD, “I haven’t officially signed on yet, so I haven’t had any conversations with anyone.  But [Pegg's] got to do it.  It has to be.”  Hit the jump to find out what role McKay insists Pegg play.

First Poster for MAD MEN Season Four

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: June 21st, 2010 at 7:23 am

With the July 25th premiere just over a month away, AMC has unveiled the first poster for the fourth season of their flagship drama Mad Men.  Creator Matthew Weiner say the new season is about “stripping away the things these people think define them.  Once they’re taken away, they just may have to look at who they really are.”  Check out the full poster, which does its best to speak to such contemplative themes, after the break.

MAD MEN Season Three DVD Review

by Jennifer Smith    Posted: April 13th, 2010 at 8:03 am

Mad Men is all about veneer, the illusion of the perfect person and the perfect family in the early 1960′s. Our hero Don Draper works at an ad agency, Sterling Cooper, and creates the illusion of the perfect life in print. Though Don and his wife Betty Draper are wealthy and attractive with a large home and two kids, there is a dark underbelly to their seemingly model life. Drinking and smoking are the norm for everyone, whether in the office or outside of it. Shockingly to contemporary audiences, Betty smokes and drinks while pregnant, the custom in those times. Like many early 1960′s hard-nosed, keep your chin up type-people, Betty and Don Draper are appalling parents. Cold, uncommunicative and barely affectionate, they send their kids outside, upstairs or to watch television if the wind so much as blows. It’s amazing that the Draper’s little boy dosen’t grow up to be Showtime’s Dexter, the loveable sociopath serial killer.  More after the jump:

Watch the MAD MEN Cast and Crew Perform Bye Bye Birdie

by Andrew Robinson    Posted: April 7th, 2010 at 2:41 pm

The cast and crew of Mad Men recorded a sing-a-long to the song ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ from the 60′s musical of the same name for showrunner Matthew Weiner.  It’s also worth noting in the episode Love Among the Ruins in Season 3, the agency was tasked with repurposing the same song for a jingle for a diet soda for women.  I’ll guess the video was recorded at the same time. Personally, I love seeing John Hamm being silly alongside January Jones.

Hit the jump to see the video, and make sure to watch after the song for all the bloopers.  Mad Men returns with new episodes this summer.

MAD MEN Creator Matthew Weiner Tells Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis YOU ARE HERE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 10th, 2009 at 12:59 am

When you’ve created one of the most critically acclaimed and most-watched TV shows on the air today, you have some freedom to write your own ticket.  Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner will use that freedom to make his feature debut with the romantic comedy You Are Here starring Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis.  According to Variety, Weiner first wrote the film during his days as a writer on The Sopranos and was planning to spend of his Mad Men hiatus to direct the film.  However, scheduling issues regarding the next season of Mad Men have pushed You Are Here into 2011 but apparently Aniston, Cooper, and Galifianakis will juggle their schedules once the film has a firm start date.

MAD MEN Writer Kater Gordon Gets Fired Three Weeks After Winning Her Emmy

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: October 11th, 2009 at 12:12 pm

This could be a first.  Just weeks after winning an Emmy Award for her work on AMC’s “Mad Men”, writer Kater Gordon has been fired from the series.  Gordon shared her award with “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner for season two’s finale “Meditations in an Emergency”, one of the four episodes from the series that were nominated this year.  More after the jump.

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