The Weinstein Company
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The Weinstein Company is an independent American film studio founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 2005 after the pair left the Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979. The Dimension Films label of Miramax followed the brothers to their new company. Advisors to the new studio include Paul Newman and Robert Redford.[1]
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[edit] Background
Their first releases in 2005 included the dramatic thriller Derailed (starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen), the offbeat comedy-drama Transamerica (starring Felicity Huffman) the computer-animated family film Hoodwinked, the World War II-era dramedy Mrs. Henderson Presents (starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins) and the caper comedy The Matador (starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear).
In March 2006, The Weinstein Company announced a distribution pact with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. MGM will distribute the product domestically in theaters, while the Weinstein Company will retain long-term ownership of their product (in fact, upon their films release on DVD, full distribution rights will revert to Weinstein under Genius Products).[2]
In July 2006, the Weinsteins and Robert L. Johnson announced the creation of a joint venture studio titled Our Stories Films, which will distribute African-American-oriented films. [3]
In late August 2006, it was announced that the Weinstein Company and co-investors Hubbard Media Group had purchased Ovation TV, an arts-focused cable channel [4].
In November 2006, the Weinstein Company announced a three-year deal with Blockbuster Video to give the video renting company exclusive rights for rentals starting on January 1, 2007. [5]. However, under the First Sale Doctrine, other rental companies are able to rent the company's movies.
The company is the co-producer, along with Miramax, of the Bravo reality series Project Runway.
In recent months, rights to films originally produced by Miramax (under the leadership of the Weinsteins), as well as some films either distributed by or had rights reverted to Miramax (such as the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night) now lie with the Weinstein Company. For example, Genius Products/Weinstein Company Home Entertainment has reissued both released versions of Cinema Paradiso, originally distributed theatrically and on home video by Miramax.
[edit] Weinstein films
[edit] Weinstein releases
- Derailed (2005) (The studio's first release)
- The Libertine (2005)
- Transamerica (2005)
- Hoodwinked (2005) (The studio's first animated film)
- Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
- The Matador (2005)
- Doogal (2006)
- Clerks II (2006)
- Pulse (2006)
- Shut Up & Sing (2006)
- Border War: The Battle Over Illegal Immigration (2006) (DVD)
- Lassie (2006) (DVD) (theatrically released by Samuel Goldwyn Films)
[edit] Dimension releases
- Wolf Creek (2005)
- Scary Movie 4 (2006)
- Pulse (2006)
- School for Scoundrels (2006)
- Feast (September 2006)
- Black Christmas (2006)
[edit] Titles distributed by MGM
- Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
- Clerks II (2006)
- School for Scoundrels (2006)
- Stormbreaker (2006)
- Killshot (2006)
- Breaking and Entering (2006) (with Miramax Films)
- Black Christmas (2006)
- Bobby (2006)
- Miss Potter (2007)
- Arthur and the Invisibles (2007)
- Virgin Territory (2007)
- The Last Legion (2007)
- Hannibal Rising (2007)
[edit] Other films
- The Thief and the Cobbler (1995) (DVD) (theatrically released by Miramax Family Films)
- TMNT (2007) (with Warner Bros. and Imagi Animation Studios)
[edit] Soon to be released
- Quebec (May 2007)
- Grindhouse (April 2007)
- Sin City 2 (2007)
- Hood vs. Evil (2007)
- Black Hole (2008)
- Quelques jours en septembre (TBA)
- Knight Rider (TBA)
- Teeth (TBA)
[edit] Other films
- The Promise: acquired North American distribution rights, then sold them to Warner Independent Pictures
- Lovewrecked: acquired the North American rights from Media 8 Entertainment and then sold them to the ABC Family Network.
- Nomad: acquired North American distribution rights.
