Disney, Weinsteins Dealing on 'Fahrenheit 9/11'

[UpInArms]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=5241537

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Miramax chiefs Harvey and Bob Weinstein are close to buying "Fahrenheit 9/11," the anti-Bush documentary that won the top prize at Cannes, from the Walt Disney Co., so that they can strike their own distribution deal, a person close to the matter said on Monday.

Filmmaker Michael Moore took the Palme d'Or, the top prize at France's Cannes film festival, over the weekend for the picture, which criticizes President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and the "War on Terror" he declared after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and severely damaged the Pentagon.

Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner said he declined to distribute the movie because it was too political. But he agreed to selling the roughly $6 million film to the Weinsteins, the heads of Disney's Miramax unit, which originally backed it, spokeswoman Zenia Mucha said by e-mail.

...more...

[Nitrogenica]

1. I hope they don't buy it and sit on it.

btw what happened to Micheal Moore's website today?

[movonne]

3. Why do you say that!!!

[Gman]

19. The Weinsteins are big Democrats

I doubt they'd sit on it.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

27. they got kevin smith's 'dogma' distributed

more widely than his previous films had been. they'll do the same for moore

[Zhade]

4. You hope they DON'T buy it?

Do you not want to see this movie?

[newyawker99]

22. Hi jhuth!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Just Me]

23. Hi Ya' sweet thing, "jhuth"!!! We just LOVE diversity here!!!

Welcome to DU!!! :hi:

Please feel free to pour out all your thoughts on this fabulous board!!!!

[Tuttle]

26. Don't you mean moorewatch.com?

totally gone???!!

Tut-tut

On edit: here is the link
http://search.msn.com/dnserror.aspx?FORM=DNSAS&q=www.moorewatch.com

[FlashHarry]

2. I heard Eisner keeps changing the deal.

Upping the price as the buzz increases.

[Nitrogenica]

5. what I meant was

I hope that when they buy it they decide not to distribute it~sorry

[UpInArms]

7. not to put you too much on the spot, but

did you say you didn't want this film distributed?

[THUNDER HANDS]

8. why?

[Gato Moteado]

9. you don't want your chimp exposed?

nt

[peacetalksforall]

11. Please explain and rationalize - slowly and carefully....thanks

[loftycity]

12. Moore has the faith and he has done wonderful deeds!

He actually did something--have you?

[DAGDA56]

15. Swing and a miss...strike two! What I think you mean is...

...If they decide to buy the movie, you hope it is so they can actually distribute it as would be expected. You are also hoping they aren't just buying the movie so they have the ability to shelve it. Am I right?

[Just Me]

24. Yup. "jhuth" really wants every American citizen to see it.

"jhuth" is just having communication problems is all.

[R Hickey]

25. You're right. I'm sure that's what he meant to say.

It's rare to see someone accidently stick their foot in their mouth two times in a row, but I think that's what the new guy just did.

[Zhade]

16. You don't want a film that details b*sh's TREASON distributed?

You won't be here long. I can assure you of that.

[DAGDA56]

17. No, wait...I really think jhuth means well...

...it's just that English can be really confusing with all those punctuation marks and syntax rules and shit...

[Zhade]

18. I guess we'll see.

NT!

[Maat]

6. Umm...let me get this straight.

He thinks that not distributing it will make Jeb Bush and Family happy. But if he lets Miramax own and distribute - he takes - and that doesn't make Jeb Bush mad?

[loftycity]

10. Eisner might still change his mind and Sony will probably pick it up

and then really go for it.

[0007]

13. Let's get the show on the road, goddamn it!!

The earlier the film gets out the better. I'm predicting a deal will be made within the next 7 days.

[PeaceProgProsp]

14. They're going to make millions on this.

They're going to get a HUGE cut of the gross, and they won't have to share it with Disney.

I bet that the's stories about bargaining with Disney aren't entirely accurate.

I bet that their contract doesn't allow Disney to get very much money if they nix a film.

[nolabels]

20. Michael Eisner probably is just figuring out how he can get the...........

golden parachute set up, move out to a country that doesn't have extradition treaties and safe from baxterizing from BFEE

[Lorien]

21. New Line is also interested

according to my cousin, who is an executive producer who works for Disney. She told me this on Saturday, but no further news today. :shrug: