By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
That's 'Chicago': Richards Kindly Asks Miramax to Fucking Pay Him Already
According to the Associated Press, Chicago joined Crash Monday in the pantheon of Oscar-winning films whose producers want to rip each others’ throats out. Which would not really raise an eyebrow around Reeler HQ if two of those producers were not named Harvey and Bob Weinstein. And the aggrieved plaintiff were not badgering the Weinsteins’ old home base Miramax for low eight figures.
Gotham-based Marty Richards–whose own Producers Circle Co. shingle produced Chicago with the Weinsteins in 2002–claimed the film’s Best Picture prize on his own the following spring. But three years and $300 million in grosses later, Richards argues that he has the trophy in one hand, his dick in the other, and that is about it:
Richards says he and his company were victims of Hollywood-style accounting in which two types of accounting occur at the same time: One type is for financial reporting purposes, and the other is for calculating how much individuals will get.
Those who get “gross profit” deals earn huge sums while those who get “net profit” deals — money that is left after many deductions and expenses — generally get nothing from a film’s profits, court papers say.
The lawsuit says Miramax is trying to impose upon PCC a “net profits” deal that it never agreed to.
I am totally speculating here, but a seasoned producer like Richards seems about as likely to sign a net deal with Harvey Weinstein as Dakota Fanning is to “star” in a Roman Polanski film. Then there is the cut from DVD sales, cable deals, foreign distribution earnings, you name it–Richards says his partners owe it all.
Miramax would not comment, and word around town suggests the exiled Weinsteins are far more concerned whether Renee Zellweger is fuckable enough to play Beatrix Potter. I will let you know when they settle out of court.
