The Weinstein Company

Reactions to First Footage from Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 21st, 2012 at 2:13 pm

Earlier today, we got our first look at director Paul Thomas Anderson’s long-awaited new film The Master by way of a brief teaser.  While it was definitely great way to start the day, select folks over at the Cannes Film Festival were treated to something a bit more special.  The Weinstein Company offered an extended look at The Master, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and David O. Russell’s The Silver Linings Playbook a few hours ago.

While us common folk have to wait a while to see anything from the aforementioned titles, we’ve compiled a round-up of reactions to the footage from Tarantino’s latest for those interested to see how the pic is shaping up.  Hit the jump for more.

MPAA Grants BULLY Documentary PG-13 Rating After Profanity Cuts

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 5th, 2012 at 4:30 pm

After weeks of hemming and hawing over the R-rating stamped to the documentary, Bully has now been granted a PG-13 rating by the MPAA.  Though director Lee Hirsch wasn’t forced to cut a crucial scene in order to bring the rating down, he did remove three uses of the word “fuck” from the film in order to obtain the school-friendly PG-13.  The crucial scene in question involved a teen being bullied and harassed on a school bus and is said to be one of the major concerns the MPAA had with the film, but the new version of the doc will retain the entire scene uncut.  The MPAA is famously backwards when it comes to their ratings system, and many contend that Bully was in no way worthy of the R rating all along.

It’s more than a little messed up that movies like This Means War are given a PG-13, but an important documentary that could have a real impact on kids across the country is deemed “inappropriate” for those under the age of 17.  Nevertheless, with the new rating Bully should now be able to reach those that it was intended to help free of that filthy, harmful, terrible f-word.  Hit the jump to read the press release and to watch the powerful trailer.

BRIDESMAIDS Director Paul Feig in Talks to Helm Drama UNTOUCHABLE; Colin Firth May Star

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 29th, 2012 at 12:38 pm

Director Paul Feig has rightly been inundated with a number of offers following the smashing success of last summer’s Bridesmaids, and it appears he may be soon be taking on a drama. Variety reports that Feig is in early negotiations to helm Untouchable, The Weinstein Company’s English-language remake of the French film The Intouchables. If landing a prestige picture wasn’t enough, Oscar-winner Colin Firth is also in early talks to take on the lead role in the film. Based on a true story, Untouchable follows “a wealthy white aristocrat who suffers a tragic paragliding accident that leaves him a quadriplegic.” After cycling through a number of caretakers, the man bonds with a young, troubled immigrant caregiver.

Hit the jump for more, including how this project fits in with Feig’s other upcoming films.

HALLOWEEN 3D Removed from 2012 Release Schedule

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 8th, 2012 at 9:32 am

Things aren’t looking good for a third go-around with the reimagined Halloween series. Rob Zombie kicked off the reboot with 2007’s less-than-inspiring Halloween, followed by the direct sequel Halloween II in 2009. The first film made nearly $80 million at the box office, so Halloween II was all but guaranteed given the seres’ low production cost. The second film wasn’t the big hit that the first one was, but still made a profitable $39 million. Shortly after the release of Halloween II, The Weinstein Company announced plans for a Rob Zombie-less Halloween 3D. A 2010 release was planned with My Bloody Valentine 3D director Patrick Lussier in tow, but production was ultimately delayed forcing Lussier to drop out.

The Weinstein Company got trigger happy last June and announced 2012 release dates for Halloween 3D and Scary Movie 5 despite having no script, director, actors, etc. for either film. The latter was recently pushed back, and now the October 2012 release date for Halloween 3D has been replaced with a “TBA” over at Box Office Mojo. If I had to guess, I’d say we won’t be seeing Halloween 3D anytime soon. If anything, the company might go for yet another reboot of the series, but given the tepid reaction to Halloween II I can’t imagine they’re dead set on continuing the story Zombie started.

First Image of Ryan Gosling in Nicolas Winding Refn’s ONLY GOD FORGIVES; Radius in Talks to Distribute

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 29th, 2012 at 8:18 pm

Look, it’s not much.  But based on the informal poll I never took, Drive was the consensus #1 movie of 2011 here at Collider.  So when Ryan Gosling appears in an electric red still image framed by Nicolas Winding Refn from their next collaboration, Only God Forgives, we’re going to pay attention.  Gosing plays Julian, a fugitive who owns a Thai boxing club that serves as a front for a drug smuggling operation.  He steps in the ring to fight a retired cop known as the “Angel of Vengeance” in the hope of finding redemption.  The full synopsis—featuring Kristin Scott Thomas as Julian’s mother/”the head of a powerful criminal organization”—is actually even crazier.  You can find it after the jump along with the image and news of the distribution plan.

First Trailer for Bullying Documentary BULLY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 21st, 2012 at 12:10 pm

The first trailer for Emmy-award winning director Lee Hirsch’s documentary Bully has gone online. The film tackles the increasingly troubling issue of bullying in American schools, and this trailer is kind of heartbreaking. In addition to examining the subject at hand, Bully tells the story of multiple parents whose children have committed suicide as a result of bullying. There’s no doubt that this is a serious issue affecting a number of kids of all ages, and the problem has only grown worse with the advent of social media and the anonymity of the internet. Judging from the trailer, the film seems to focus on the act of physical and verbal bullying in schools and on the bus rides home, but I hope Hirsch also takes a look at cyber bullying as the web can be one of the cruelest tools at a bully’s disposal. The film was actually given an R rating by the MPAA for “some language”, but The Weinstein Company plans to appeal the rating in order to make the film accessible to those that will benefit from it the most: kids.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. Bully opens March 30th.

THE ARTIST, CORIOLANUS, and Other Weinstein Company Films will Premiere on Netflix Rather than Pay TV

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 21st, 2012 at 7:39 am

Netflix has been struggling lately against competitors like Redbox, OnDemand services, and the reluctance of major studios to license their films to the streaming service.  However, The Weinstein Company are (thankfully) going against the grain by licensing some of their latest movies to Netflix over U.S. pay TV services.  According to THR, The Artist, Coriolanus, Undefeated, as well as foreign-language, documentary, and other films will be exclusively available for Netflix streaming in the U.S.

It’s obviously a great deal for Netflix and its streaming subscribers, especially since a lot of folks probably missed some of TWC’s limited-release movies like Coriolanus and Sarah’s Key.  No date has been announced for when these movies will roll out, but since The Artist is due out on DVD and Blu-ray on April 24th, we can presumably expect it by then.

Release Date News: COGAN’S TRADE Set for September 21st; SCARY MOVIE 5 and BUTTER Knocked Back

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 16th, 2012 at 9:15 am

This morning, we’ve got some quick release date news regarding The Weinstein Company’s upcoming films.  First up, the crime drama Cogan’s Trade is set for September 21st.  This would put the film slightly after the Toronto International Film Festival, and so the flick could make a showing at TIFF to build some buzz and maybe start an awards run.  The film stars Brad Pitt as a mob enforcer who’s tasked with investigating the robbery of a high-stakes poker game.  The film also stars Ray Liotta, James Gandolfini, Richard Jenkins, Richard Jenkins, Ben Mendelsohn, Scoot McNairy, Bella Heathcote, and Sam Shepard.  The September 21st date will set the movie against the Judge Dredd reboot, Dredd, the animated family comedy Hotel Transylvania, and the thriller The House at the End of the Street.

Hit the jump for news on the release date changes for Scary Movie 5 and Butter.

Acquisition News: Weinstein Company Picks Up BACHELORETTE, Image Acquires GOATS, and Anchor Bay Nabs EXCISION

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 5:35 pm

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival may be over, but the acquisitions are not. We’ve got three such stories to share with you today. First up, The Weinstein Company has closed a deal for North American distribution rights to the raunchy comedy Bachelorette. The film stars Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, Adam Scott, and James Marsden and centers on four high school friends who reunite when the least popular of the group gets engaged to one of the most eligible bachelors in New York City. Matt praised the candidly despicable portrayal of the main characters, but was disappointed when the film tried to redeem their behavior towards the end. You can read his review here.

Deadline reports that The Weinstein Company plans on releasing the film through their new label Radius, which focuses on multi-platform release strategies. They plan on releasing Bachelorette on a multi-platform day and date release with a theatrical component. Hit the jump for acquisition news concerning the David Duchovny pic Goats and the horror film Excision.

New Production Banner INCOGNITO PICTURES from Ex-PayPal Exec, Jack Selby

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 23rd, 2012 at 4:51 pm

A new production banner has entered the biz with an aim to make “genre-agnostic” movies for a sub-$10 million budget. Former PayPal executive Jack Selby has secured $50 million in financing for Incognito Pictures and has entered into a long-term distribution deal with The Weinstein Company. The ambitious business plan will allow for production of five or six films initially and expects to announce their first slate in February. Though horror films are normally in the under-$10 million category, Selby, with banner partner and producer Scott Stone look to “fill an underserved market of more modestly budgeted films with specialized content that appeals to audiences, both domestically and abroad.” Hit the jump to check out the press release.

Lawsuit Over THE CROW Settled; Reboot to Move Forward

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 23rd, 2012 at 3:59 pm

The reboot that no one is asking for looks like it may be moving forward. A revisiting of director Alex Proyas’ 1994 Miramax picture, The Crow, was previously in the works through Relativity Media. Since the Weinsteins distributed the original through Miramax and had contracts claiming ownership of all rights to The Crow, they filed suit against Relativity seeking “injunctive relief,” ie ceasing all The Crow-related production. Not to be intimidated, Relativity fired counter-claims.

Things haven’t gone particularly well for the reboot as directors have come and gone, writers have signed on and then dropped out, and principal actors have been offered roles but have ultimately left the project. In short, it’s been a mess. One bright spot in production is that both sides of the lawsuit have settled amicably. While the good news is that this brings The Crow reboot closer to reality, the bad news is that this brings The Crow reboot closer to reality. Hit the jump to read the press release.

John Hillcoat’s THE WETTEST COUNTY Bumped to August 31st

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 5th, 2012 at 2:16 pm

John Hillcoat’s Prohibition-era drama The Wettest County has been pushed back from April 20th to August 31st.  Nick Cave (The Proposition) wrote the script based Matt Bondourant‘s novel about two brothers (played by Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy) who become bootleggers in the South during Prohibition.  In addition to LaBeouf and Hardy, the outstanding cast also includes Mia Wasikowska, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Dane DeHaan, and Jessica Chastain.

With this cast and this premise, it seemed odd that the Weinstein Company would schedule it to April 20th, but the August 31st date doesn’t make much sense either.  Hit the jump for positives and negatives of the new date.

David O. Russell’s THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK Set for November 21, 2012

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 16th, 2011 at 9:16 am

The Weinstein Company has set the release date of David O. Russell‘s The Silver Linings Playbook for November 21, 2012.  Based on the novel by Matthew Quick, the movie centers on a former high school teacher (Bradley Cooper) who returns home after four years in a mental institution to live with his mother (Jackie Weaver) and win back the affection of his estranged wife.  The movie also stars Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, and Robert De Niro.  Silver Linings sounds like it could be awards material and now TWC can put “From the Oscar-nominated Director of The Fighter” on the poster.

The Weinsteins will probably take Silver Linings out for a spin on the awards circuit before its November 21st release.  Of course, the Thanksgiving Day weekend is always crowded and so far the date also belongs to Alfonso Cuaron‘s sci-fi drama Gravity, the family comedy Parental Guidance, the Keanu Reeves‘ action-adventure 47 Ronin, and the animated film Rise of the Guardians.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of The Silver Linings Playbook. [Release date via Box Office Mojo]

THE WETTEST COUNTY, Starring Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy, Set for April 20, 2012

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 15th, 2011 at 7:42 am

The Weinstein Company has set John Hillcoat‘s The Wettest County for April 20, 2012.  Nick Cave (The Proposition) wrote the script based Matt Bondourant‘s novel about two brothers (played by Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy) who become bootleggers in the South during Prohibition.  In addition to LaBeouf and Hardy, the outstanding cast also includes Mia Wasikowska, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Dane DeHaan, and Jessica Chastain.  It looked like TWC would be setting the movie up for an awards run, but the studio already has its line-up set with The Artist, The Iron Lady, and My Week with Marilyn.  That doesn’t mean that Wettest County is bad, but it may not be appealing to Academy voters.  Neither were Hillcoat’s previous films, The Proposition and The Road.

Hit the jump for Wettest County‘s competition on April 20, 2012, and for a synopsis of Bondourant’s novel.

The Weinstein Company Reschedules MY WEEK WITH MARILYN for Thanksgiving Weekend

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 12th, 2011 at 6:18 pm

If you are looking for major release date news, I’ll direct you today’s earlier post on Fox’s schedule for six upcoming projects.  If you just want to find out when you can see My Week With Marilyn, you’re in the right place.  Deadline reports The Weinstein Co. has rescheduled the Marilyn Monroe biopic from November 4 to November 23.  The studio is reportedly encouraged enough by the strong reception at the New York Film Festival to throw it into the Thanksgiving fray with The Muppets, Hugo, Arthur Christmas, and Piranha 3DD, not to mention fellow TWC release The Artist.

Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond, Judi Dench, Emma Watson, and Eddie Redmayne star in My Week With Marilyn.  Hit the jump for the official synopsis.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design