Screen Junkies » The Weinstein Company

eBay Bans The ‘Django Unchained’ Action Figures

Wookie Johnson — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:49:11 +0000

Sorry everyone. If you want a James Remar action figure, you’ll just have to be happy with a homemade version from your well-meaning mom. After much controversy, not only have The Weinstein Company discontinued collectible dolls based on the characters in Django Unchained, now eBay refuses to sell them.

eBay has approached potential sellers with this message: “Since the manufacturer of this product has discontinued the item’s sale due to its potentially offensive nature, we are not allowing it to be sold on eBay.”

Luckily, you can still buy this fake human turd prank gag. But you only have 25 hours left.

(TMZ)

The Weinstein Company Bypasses Cable For Netflix

Wookie Johnson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:34:49 +0000

Looks like Netflix has gained another foothold in its fight for survival. Knowing a good thing when they see it, the Weinstein Company has decided to feed Netflix their content rather than go to the pay cable channels. That means awesome films like The Artist and Coriolanus, and less than awesome films like Madonna‘s W.E., will be available on the Netflix Instant Watch streaming system, and not on channels like noted Netflix cock-blockers HBO.

If anything, this just proves how resilient the streaming industry is. Months ago, Netflix was more hated than Osama bin Laden. And today, they’ve got Uggie. There’s no stopping them. (via /Film)

Uggie Will Not Be Attending The Oscars

Wookie Johnson — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:13:42 +0000

What the hell is going on with Uggie? First, it was announced that he was retiring from the business completely. It was later revealed that he actually has a mysterious neurological ailment that’s forcing him to give up his career but not until he appears in a sketch with Billy Crystal during this year’s Oscars telecast. Now there’s word that the dog from The Artist will not be attending the Oscars after all. I really haven’t been concerned about a dog’s whereabouts this much since that time Beethoven was left alone in a room with the Thanksgiving turkey.

A representative for the Weinstein Company says that Uggie has “not been asked to participate or appear at the Oscars.” This is in direct opposition to what his trainer had said a few weeks back. Just level with us. Does Uggie even exist? Is he computer-generated? Or worse, has he died and is now being dragged around on fishing line a la Weekend at Bernies? (BBC)

Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’ Gets Merry Release Date

Col. Longshanks — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:48:58 +0000

The Weinstein Company has booked Christmas Day 2012 for Quentin Tarantino’s jolly slavery vengeance film Django Unchained. Ho, ho, ho, all you plantation-owning bigots. Come December 25 of next year, you’re going to get yours. Though there’s no word yet on who will deliver the punishment. It seems that Will Smith is no longer in the running for the role of Django, but Jamie Foxx is rumored to be a favorite. Christoph Waltz is all but set to play the bounty hunter, and it’s looking like Leonardo DiCaprio will take on villain Calvin Candie with Samuel L. Jackson as his right hand man. It’s not quite the Adam Sandler/Damon Wayans pairing of Bullet Proof, but I could see it working.

Needless to say, I’m extremely excited for this film and can’t see it turning out nothing short of fantastically awesome superwow. In fact Weinstein Co., just go ahead and pull that quote now for your posters and bus ads. (BoxOfficeMojo)

‘Fraggle Rock’ Movie Is Going To Melt Your Mind

Wookie Johnson — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:51:54 +0000

3 photosAw Man, The Muppet Movie Has Hipsters

Last we heard, The Weinstein Company were cooling their jets on the Fraggle Rock movie because the script wasn’t sexy or violent enough. Now, thanks to Red’s leaked cell-phone nudie pics this past weekend, this baby suddenly has some traction.

We’re not sure if Hoodwinked‘s Cory Edwards is still on board to write and direct but there is news that the film will help you to trip your balls off. Jake Shears and Babydaddy of the psychodelic/disco group Scissor Sisters will write musical numbers for the film. Though this is in no way a confirmation that the film has a new script, it may be a case of a script being based around the songs. The band was “spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York.” I’m not sure that’s the edge for which the Weinsteins were hoping, but I can imagine a sweaty club full of shirtless doozers squeezing balloons between their chests until they pop. You gotta find a way to blow off steam after a long day on the job site. Just nobody tell Victoria Jackson. (via The Playlist)

Paul Thomas Anderson Brainwashes Rami Malek Into His Cult

Geoffrey Golden — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:35:29 +0000

The potentially-Scientology bashing movie from Paul Thomas Anderson sounds very intriguing. So far, the cast of the movie formerly known as The Master includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Laura Dern and Amy Adams. Now, another actor has been indoctrinated and thetan-scanned.

7 photosAmy Adams

Rami Malek (HBO’s”The Pacific“) has signed on to play Hoffman’s son-in-law in the film. Hoffman is the “prophet” behind the kooky cult. This gig comes to Malek after getting thoroughly Twilighted in Breaking Dawn, which just recently wrapped shooting. Filming begins on the untitled religious drama this month.

Megan Ellison‘s Annapurna Pictures is financing and The Weinstein Company will distribute. (Variety)

Scott Mann Will Try To Improve Upon ‘Seven Samurai’

Wookie Johnson — Tue, 03 May 2011 22:53:32 +0000

The Weinstein Company has hired British director Scott Mann to take on the heat of film sob hatred by helming a remake of Akira Kurosawa‘s Seven Samurai. Set in Thailand, the update recruits seven paramilitary contractors to defend a small town.

But let’s not be too quick to judge. After all, Sergeo Leone remade Kurosawa’s classic Yojimoto into the Clint Eastwood classic, A Fistful of Dollars. So, maybe there is room for some radical reinterpretation to this story. Mann is best known for having directed the straight-to-DVD film The Tournament starring Robert Carlyle and Ving Rhames. Oh shit, this thing is so fucked. (Variety)

Weinstein Lawsuit Might Kill ‘The Crow’ Reboot (Thank God)

Geoffrey Golden — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:02:07 +0000

Eric Draven can come back from the dead, but when he’s killed with a lawsuit, he becomes perma-dead – which means no crows can help him. Sorry, Eric. Blame the Weinsteins. Everyone else – thank the Weinsteins.

Relativity has been busy launching a remake of The Crow, for which Bradley Cooper is in talks to star. Ughhh. However, The Weinstein Company says they have a contract from 2009 giving TWC exclusive distribution rights Crow sequels. They filed an injunction against Relativity, who was shopping those rights around. Now there’s a very public war of words, but will it get to the point where T-Bird gets involved? I guess we’ll see. Here’s what lawyer types are saying:

Team Weinstein: “(Relativity CEO Ryan) Kavanaugh decided that Relativity would not perform that contract and will purport to sell TWC’s distribution rights to others here and overseas in willful breach of contract.” … “If somebody tries to buy those rights other than the Weinsteins, those people will be simply buying a lawsuit.”

vs.

Team Relativity: “This is yet another typical litigation stunt from the Weinsteins who have a long history of threatening law suits with the sole purpose of intimidation.” … “While we expect these types of antics from the Weinsteins, we are shocked that a lawyer of Mr. Fields’ caliber would make such false, reckless and intentionally harmful statements to the press about Relativity and Mr. Kavanaugh. We intend to seek appropriate remedies for this misconduct.”

If the movie doesn’t happen, look for Relativity execs to dress all emo and exact some revenge. (Variety)

The Weinsteins To Make Broadway Awesome By Adding Karate

Wookie Johnson — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:22:34 +0000

Like a petite farm girl fresh off the bus, Harvey and Bob Weinstein also have Broadway dreams. Unhappy with only taking over the gaming world, the brothers are eyeballing the Great White Way for song and dance adaptations of some of their hit films.

Finding Neverland, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Cinema Paradiso, and Chocolat are all properties that the Weinsteins are hoping to shoehorn a little razzmatazz into. Finding Neverland is the furthest along with a book by Grey Gardens team Scott Frankel and Michael Korie. But what other Weinstein films deserve to be told via the inspirational power of jazz hands?

It would be cool to see Clerks or Scream or Kill Bill adapted for the stage, but I think the Weinstein property that’s really crying out to be sung is Who’s Your Caddy? Get Lil Wayne working on the songs and you’ve got a hit on your hands, my friend. (NY Observer)

Don’t Make Plans To See ‘Apollo 18′ Next Month Or This Year

Wookie Johnson — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:46:04 +0000

With Hollywood eager to buy up science fiction pitches after the success of Battle: Los Angeles, it only makes sense that The Weinstein Company push back the release of the looks-to-have-promise Apollo 18 by eight months. Oh, wait. No. That doesn’t make sense at all.

What the hell? That trailer looked great. Did They Might Be Giants threaten litigation? Was Tom Hanks upset by the horror house portrayal of his beloved moon?? They also pushed back Piranha 3DD and added the re-titled Our Idiot Brother starring Paul Rudd and hot actresses and the Sarah Jessica Parker/Pierce Brosnan joint I Don’t Know How She Does It to the schedule.

The new release dates are as follows:

Apollo 18: January 6th, 2012

Piranha 3DD: November 23rd, 2011

Our Idiot Brother: August 26th, 2011

I Don’t Know How She Does It: Who cares?

(Deadline)

Weinstein Company Could Soon Make A ‘Derailed’ Video Game

Joseph Gibson — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:17:33 +0000

The Weinstein Company, fresh off of ruining The King’s Speech, is now getting into the video game business. The division is creatively going to be called TWC Games, and they plan to “develop existing properties for mobile, social and console platforms.” So I guess this means we’ll be seeing a Scary Movie 5 PlayStation game that has a Facebook component or something. Ah, the sweet smell of synergy. Here’s Bob Weinstein on his new interest in video games:

“With all of the digital platforms, there are so many opportunities to broaden our audience with compelling, high quality, cost-efficient, video game entertainment.”

TWC Games is forming a, gulp, “consultancy” with the video game production company Beefy Media in order to make this happen. We at Screen Junkies look forward to not covering the video games that develop as a result of this new venture.

Little Rowboats, Hitler, And The Weinsteins: A Winning Combination

Penn Collins — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:08:32 +0000

Those Winklevoss boys made rowing hot again. The Weinstein Company has acquired the rights to The Boys in the Boat, a book chronicling the triumph of the University of Washington rowing team over those snotty bluebloods from Harvard and Yale. Naturally, it’s being touted as “a cross between Seabiscuit and Chariots of Fire.” Probably because it will star a crapload of white people.

The fellas from UW went on to represent the United States at the 1936 Olympics in Munich, which weren’t quite as eventful as the 1972 Munich Olympics, but were still a pretty big deal. They took the gold in the race, causing Hitler to leave the event in disgust. TAKE THAT, HITLER!!!!

The book rights were sold based on a 17-page proposal, which should inspire thousands of screenwriters to put together thousands of 17-page proposals in an effort to get the attention of the Brothers Weinstein. I don’t envy the junior-level development execs posting up there over the next few months Break out your reading glasses. (Variety)

Tom Hooper Has His Pick Of Boring Projects

Wookie Johnson — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:04:25 +0000

Looks like Tom Hooper can’t stay mad at Harvey Weinstein. The King’s Speech director has his pick of Oscar bait projects after bringing the little guy home on Sunday night, and is considering working with the Weinstein Company again.

In addition to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Les Miserables and Queen of the East, Hooper is said to be interested in rescuing an adaptation of the novel Tulip Fever from turnaround. This wouldn’t be the first attempt to bring the novel to screen. In fact, a few have tried and failed including Shakespeare In Love writer Tom Stoppard and director John Madden.

A period love story about a bored wife who falls for the painter hired to create her portrait, this is considered a shoe-in for a win. Especially if Hooper can get Stoppard’s script. If there’s one thing the Academy loves, it’s these Victorian pornos. (Deadline)