Wednesday, June 10

• Bob Weinstein's Duplex for Sale: More Weinstein Company Financial Woes?

  Over the past month, several sources -- including The New York Times -- have reported that the financial situation of The Weinstein Company, headed by Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein, is in less-than-ideal shape.

  Earlier today, Gawker reported on another possible sign of desperation from the Weinsteins: Bob Weinstein is apparently trying to sell his Central Park West duplex for $34 million.

  Gawker also chronicled the events over the past year that indicate dire financial straits for the Weinsteins: The company laid off 11 percent of its staff, lost the rights to Sin City 2, possibly due to lack of capital, and may not even be able to afford the distribution and promotion costs for Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

  The company will likely put its hopes behind three movies this summer and fall, and it needs a hit soon to ease its troubles. Those three movies are Basterds, Rob Zombie's H2, and Rob Marshall's Nine.

  
  

  Posted 06/10/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Harvey Weinstein | Quentin Tarantino | Rob Marshall | Rob Zombie | Inglourious Basterds | Nine | Halloween II

Wednesday, July 18

• Adaptations Abuzz: Ron Howard, Mao's Last Dancer, and more

  Hollywood loves its adaptations, and a bunch of them are in the works.

  First, Ron Howard has signed on to direct The Emperor's Children, which Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) adapted from Claire Messud's 2006 novel. The story is about New York Ivy League grads angst-ridden over their approaching 30s.

  Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy) will be directing an adaptation of Mao's Last Dancer, the 2003 autobiography of Chinese ballet dancer Li Cunxin who defected to the West in 1981. Jan Sardi (Shine) wrote the adaption, which will begin filming in February.

  And what better choice than Rob Marshall (Chicago) to direct Nine, Michael Tolkin's (The Player) adaption of the 1982 Broadway musical of the same name? The story is based on the Fellini film 8 1/2.

  And finally, director of the breakthrough Irish indie rock-musical Once, John Carney, will be making his US studio debut. Carney has signed to direct Town House, a comedy about a hermit who maintains his lifestyle by selling off memorabilia left to him by his dead rock star father. It was adapted from Tish Cohen's 2007 novel by screenwriter Doug Wright (Quills).

  Source: Variety.

  
  

  Posted 07/18/2007 by reelz

  Related: Rob Marshall | Jan Sardi | Noah Baumbach | Doug Wright | Michael Tolkin | John Carney | Bruce Beresford | Nine | The Emperor's Children | Mao's Last Dancer | Town House