Harvey Weinsterin Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Another 'Valkyrie' Film to Challenge Cruise Film Prospects
Filed under: Action », Casting », Deals », New Releases », Cannes », Celebrities and Controversy », Box Office », Distribution », The Weinstein Co. », Tom Cruise », Movie Marketing »
When two movies with similar plots hit theaters around the same time, it usually just reveals the vapidity of Hollywood formula (as was the case when Deep Impact and Armageddon came out a few months apart). The situation changes, however, when the subject matter has far more thematic weight. Defamer's S.T. VanAirsdale points out the potential conflict brewing now that The Weinstein Company has picked up U.S. theatrical, DVD and television rights to the 2004 German film Operation Valykrie, a dramatization of the failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hilter during World War II. Sound familiar? That's because Bryan Singer's upcoming 2009 release, Valkyrie, tells precisely the same story, with Tom Cruise in the role of would-be assassin Col. Claus Von Stauffenberg. In the German movie, the character is played by Sebastian Koch, the debonair star of The Lives of Others and Paul Verhoeven's Black Book. In addition to the overlapping content, VanAirsdale points out another potential conflict: Koch's female co-star in Black Book, the alluring Carice van Houten, stars opposite Cruise in Valkyrie, creating the sort of meaty overlap that money can buy. Harvey Weinstein's no slouch when it comes to instigating controversy, but his company hasn't exactly had the best of luck with its recent daring titles (few turned out for Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?). Personal drama has impacted Cruise's films before, but this might be the rare case where he would have nothing to do with it.
Crouching Tiger, Spending Weinsteins
Filed under: Action », Drama », Deals », The Weinstein Co. », Newsstand », Weinstein Brothers », Remakes and Sequels »
Looking for a The Lord of the Rings of their very own, the Weinstein brothers
have acquired the rights to a series of five martial arts novels by Wang Du Lu. Collectively known as the
Crane-Iron Pentalogy, the books gained exposure to a world-wide audience (though that audience probably didn't
know it at the time) when the fourth in the series was used as the source for Ang
Lee's wildly successful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
The planned movies - the most exciting of which will inevitably be Precious Sword, Golden Hairpin - will
function as prequels and a sequel to Lee's film. In addition to crowing about how these upcoming marital arts films are "an opportunity to do something revolutionary" (What that means is anyone's guess - cast Asian actors in Hollywood? Make a movie with the word "hairpin" in the title?), the Weinsteins also announced tentative plans to create a stage version of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yikes. Why do I immediately think of Andrew Lloyd Webber and a completely inappropriate emphasis on visual effects?
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Alec Baldwin Becomes Latest to Threaten Retirement
The First 'Iron Man 2' Poster Appears!
The Return of Jessica Alba?
Now 'New Moon' Prevents Skin Cancer!_thumbnail.jpg)
Discuss: Who Would be the Most Profitable Director if ...
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