While many around the industry are eager to drop any association with the now tarnished brand of The Weinstein Company, it’s not as easy as just scrubbing off a name. There are contracts and legal formalities and more that mean the house that Harvey Weinstein built won’t so quickly disappear. Case in point: “Paddington 2.”
The highly anticipated sequel, which is already doing strong business in the U.K., was slated to be The Weinstein Company’s first big release of 2018, something touted by Bob Weinstein in the early days of his brother’s scandal. However, it didn’t take long for producers to want to extricate the family film from The Weinstein Company brand, and they’ve achieved just that….but with a catch.
Deadline reports that Warner Bros. has scooped up the domestic rights to “Paddington 2.” However, as part of the reported $30 million acquisition, The Weinstein Company will retain their profit participation not just on “Paddington 2,” but on all future sequels. That’s right, The Weinstein Company will continue to taste that sweet marmalade from “Paddington,” even though you won’t see their name up on the big screen. Again, it’s a indication that dealmaking in Hollywood can’t just be scrubbed away with a magic wand. That said, with The Weinstein Company going bankrupt, the money may not flow to Harvey Weinstein, but instead to whatever, Cayman based hedge fund buys the company.
“Paddington 2” is scheduled to open on January