It’s been almost seven years since Brett Ratner released a feature film, the most recent one being 2014’s “Hercules.” A large part of that absence is likely due to the fact that in 2017, the filmmaker was accused by several women who alleged sexual harassment by Ratner. Well, now it appears that Ratner is ready for his comeback, but without an apology or acknowledgment of any wrong-doing, the Time’s Up movement isn’t happy with this news.
READ MORE: Hugh Hefner Biopic On Hold After Brett Ratner Allegations, Warner Bros. Cuts Ties
According to Deadline, Millennium Media has signed Brett Ratner to direct a biopic about the disgraced pop music duo, Milli Vanilli. The film would tell the story about Milli Vanilli, a group that rose to the top of the charts in the ‘80s but quickly fell into obscurity after it was revealed the singers didn’t actually sing their own songs. While a film based on that story would definitely be interesting, especially since the biopic has the blessing of the group, not everyone is happy about this news.
Again, back in 2017, Olivia Munn, Elliot Page, Gal Gadot, and others spoke out against Brett Ratner after stories began to emerge about the filmmaker sexually harassing women and other misconduct. The filmmaker never apologized and actually took legal action against the alleged victims. This is the reason why Time’s Up has spoken out against the Ratner and the Milli Vanilli film.
“Time’s Up was born out of the national reckoning on workplace sexual harassment,” said Tina Tchen, Time’s Up president and CEO (via Deadline). “Our movement is a product of countless courageous acts by many survivors, including those who spoke out about what they endured at the hands of Brett Ratner.”
She continued, “Not only did Ratner never acknowledge or apologize for the harm he caused, but he also filed lawsuits in an attempt to silence the voices of survivors who came forward – a tactic right out of the predator’s playbook. You don’t get to go away for a couple years and then resurface and act like nothing happened. We have not – and will not – forget. And Millennium Media shouldn’t either. There should be no comeback. #wewontforgetbrett”
Also telling is the fact that Millennium Media is the production company behind Ratner’s comeback vehicle. You may remember that studio from the Bryan Singer drama, as Millennium hired that disgraced director to helm a “Red Sonja” film after allegations of sexual assault were thrown at the filmmaker. In fact, Millennium defended its decision and it was only after intense pressure that the studio removed him from the project.
There’s no release date or anything for the Milli Vanilli film, but it’s clear that people aren’t ready to forgive Ratner just yet.