After the awful events of last week, it looks like the end could be near for The Weinstein Company. Variety reports that a bankruptcy threat or a sale looms over the company as its leadership is divided over its next steps. To put it mildly, the Harvey Weinstein-gate disaster is a deep black hole and anything in its orbit is getting sucked into the darkness.
READ MORE: Bob Weinstein Issues Statement, ‘The Current War’ Dropped From Release
The latest casualties of association are two Weinstein-produced projects over at Amazon Studios. One of them, David O. Russell’s untitled family drama series, is no longer happening.
“Amazon Studios no longer plans on moving forward with the David O. Russell Project,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. “As for ‘The Romanoffs,’ Amazon intends to move forward without the involvement of The Weinstein Company.”
“The Romanoffs” is a series by “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner who can at least breathe a sigh of relief. It was recently reported that Russell’s project had already spent $40 million before a single frame was shot, so it’s likely this exorbitant price tag factored into the decision.
READ MORE: Quentin Tarantino “Stunned And Heartbroken” Over Harvey Weinstein Allegations
Wisely, Russell and two of the series’ planned stars Julianne Moore and Robert DeNiro have stood behind Amazon’s verdict.
“We support Amazon’s decision as in light of recent news and out of respect for all those affected we have decided together that it is best to not move forward with this show,” the trio said in a joint statement to People.
There’s a double whammy on both these projects too. Not only are there multitudes of disturbing sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein, Amazon’s nixing of the untitled show follows the suspension of Amazon Studios head Roy Price for his own allegations of sexual harassment.
In a company-wide Amazon memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Jeff Blackburn, Amazon’s VP of business development wrote, “Amazon does not tolerate harassment or abuse of our employees or our business partners. If a concern is brought to our attention, we investigate it quickly and thoroughly.”
In case you’re wondering whether Russell’s project could continue elsewhere, Variety confirms, as the statement already suggests, the series is entirely dead. It’s no wonder everyone in Hollywood is running for the hills—other than to save their own skin and ensure they’re not perceived as complicit in silence or enabling—any link to Weinstein is essentially a fatality.
Amazon – such courage… Throwing a entire production crew of a show out of work for what Weinstein did. That takes real guts Amazon. Nothing like standing behind your people in a crisis !
Then there’s the Paparazzi scum with a camera inches from De Niro’s nose. What exactly do you figure HE did ? Probably nothing, but those turds got their pix published didn’t they ?