Thursday, February 20, 2025

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Taylor Sheridan Reveals His Ultimatum That Got The Weinstein Company Scrubbed From ‘Wind River’

Prior to the scandal unfolding around Harvey Weinstein, The Weinstein Company had put their Oscar hopes in the period drama “The Current War.” It all imploded with the disastrous reception the movie received at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by the explosive allegations of sexual harassment and assault that emerged against Weinstein. However, in their back pocket, the studio had the sleeper indie hit “Wind River.” The directorial debut by Taylor Sheridan (“Sicario,” “Hell Of High Water“) earned rave reviews and strong numbers in limited release. But there was one problem — it had Weinstein’s name on it.

Well, that hurdle got cleared last month, when Acacia Entertainment, a company owned by Tunica-Biloxi tribes, who largely funded the $10 million film, stepped up to fully back the awards season screeners and the Oscar campaign for “Wind River.” The company scrubbed the Weinstein name from the movie, and the home video release, and there is no involvement at all from The Weinstein Company in the awards season run. Even more, any future profits are being directed to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, which assists battered Native American women.

So, how was this accomplished? Sheridan made The Weinstein Company an offer they couldn’t refuse.

“I called TWC president David Glasser and said, ‘I’m going to demand something of you and you are going to get absolutely nothing in return,’ ” he explained to Deadline. “ ‘And you’re going to do it, because it’s the right thing to do.’ To David’s credits, he agreed.”

However, Sheridan was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice in the event that he met any resistance from The Weinstein Company

“I said, if my movie’s going to die, I’ll be the one to kill it,” he said. “I will Alan Smithee the film, take my name off it, and publicly denounce it. I would have said, don’t go see this movie, don’t rent it, don’t watch it. If he was going to remain publicly attached, if he was going to benefit from a film highlighting the atrocity he perpetrated? No.”

It’s an courageous move by Sheridan, and as he said, The Weinstein Company execs did the right thing. “Wind River” is now available on Digital HD and arrives on physical formats next week. [via Vulture]

 

 

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Hate to be cynical here…well, not really…but this just sounds like more ego aggrandizement and self righteousness to me along with the slightly hidden agenda of further marketing his movie. There is no shame or embarrassment in the Hollywood game and nothing is off limits to use to one’s own advantage and this looks like a snarky ‘aren’t I a terrific guy’ ploy while pumping his own movie and agenda. Man oh man oh man…

  2. Hmm…This is virtue signalling,right?.I mean, TWC company may have removed it’s credit but it still has a commercial interest in the film…I think this is a crass means of milking publicity from this obscene saga for a film which only has two or three first class scenes anyway…

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