The Reader… Coming To Theaters Near You (if you live in NY or LA) On Dec 12
A joint Weinstein/Daldry press release has been issued.
As explained before, no surprise. (Even less so after the Project Runway ruling.)
JOINT STATEMENT FROM SCOTT RUDIN AND HARVEY WEINSTEIN:
“We are issuing this statement together to emphasize the fact that we are in complete agreement on the date we have chosen to release “The Reader.” Working together, we developed a plan to extend the post-production schedule in order to give Stephen Daldry the additional time he needs to successfully complete the film in time to release it on December 12, 2008.”
STATEMENT FROM DIRECTOR STEPHEN DALDRY:
“On their own, Scott and Harvey spent this weekend working together to find a way to accommodate my needs so that I may fulfill my obligation to the studio without compromising my vision for the film. I am thrilled and relieved that we have all found a way forward to work together to bring ‘The Reader’ to theaters this year.”
PS 6:29p – Why kind of con artist spin is the absurd notion that this is a win-win for Weinstein and Rudin? As I keep writing, this was never about the war of the wills. It is about money. Period. Everyone associated with Rev Road, from top to bottom, wanted The Reader to go away until next year. Period.
The only con better than “they are conceding post-production dollars and a move to NY” (when there was no other choice but to rip the film from the director, as he is putting the stage version of Billy Elliot up in NY right now) is “the movie isn’t ready.” Making adjustments to get a film done is normal. And the movie is ready 90% of the time that things have moved along enough for someone serious to be asking, even if it is not in the ultimate final form.
Here it is in the meantime:
http://www.incontention.com/?p=2105
Still, getting Winslet out there will be interesting…
Not very interesting at all. She won’t do it. Especially 2 weeks before Rev Road landing.
I’m well aware she won’t do it. Hence the “interesting” aside. Regardless, this is smoke and mirrors, crisis management, and it never should have been out in the media in a big way.
Nicely done, Zeitchick.
The media remains, in this case, as usual, irrelevant.
what will probably happen is that reporters doing press for ‘rev road’ will be told that, because kate has obligations keeping her from ‘the reader’ press days, she will entertain questions pertaining to that film too…publicists will hover in an effort to keep ‘reader’ questions to a minimum….it happens all the time…. bottom line is that, if she does press for one film, she’s doing press for both films…..
So does this mean that, when she goes on TV shows to talk about Rev Road, that the hosts will be politely asked to not ask about her other movie?
Lame. Hollywood sucks.
My guess will be that Rev Road will push as early as possible to make sure that journos haven’t seen Reader and journos will be politely asked to stay on point.
I’m sure the issue is being discussed at Vantage right now.