Weinstein Passes on 'Machete', Fox Doesn't

The Robert Rodriguez concoction, Machete, is not very popular around the Weinstein Company these days, so much so that Fox has now picked up the domestic distribution rights to the film, which was financed mostly thanks to a deal Rodriguez struck with Sony to release it overseas. For years, the filmmaker and Harvey and Bob Weinstein have had a great working relationship, but Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood cites a studio insider as saying the reason TWC passed on distributing the film is that "we saw the footage and it's not very good at all." Ouch. This from the same company that made Halloween II. There could be another reason: Money. The Weinstein Company's fortunes are well-known. Having never approximated the highs of their Miramax days, Harvey and Bob really only have one definite hit in the past several years, and that's Inglourious Basterds, not entirely their own product thanks to a deal with Universal to co-distribute. The Road tanked, Nine will be lucky to make back 50% of its budget in worldwide ticket sales, and there have been some internal staffing reductions, to put it nicely. Finke writes that TWC had a first-look deal on Machete and didn't fork over an estimated $3.5 million to release it in the US. Could be a combination of not liking the footage and licking company wounds this awards season. So Fox has stepped in and brokered a deal with Rodriguez, and that's a likely contender anyway because he's working with the studio on Predators. And now, it appears Rodriguez has major studio support behind him, which could allow him to continue making movies the Troublemaker way - finding his own financing, Austin-centric productions, etc. - and Fox could just commit a few million to distribute them in wide release. Should Machete take off, this could be a very smart deal for Fox.

Comments

[J]

Pssst... Mr. Weinstein. Ummmm... you are aware that Machete is intentionally a B-movie, yes?