Shakeup at New Line

[radagast]

From Nikki Finke:
"EXCLUSIVE: I'm told that New Line Cinema founders Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne are meeting with Jeff Bewkes this week to talk about their contracts which expire this year. Sources say it's virtually certain that the studio pair will be shown the door. I hear this isn't coming as a surprise to Shaye or Lynne, either: they're expecting the new Time Warner chief to end their tenure at the studio they founded in 1967, sold to Ted Turner's Turner Broadcasting System in 1994, and brought under Time Warner's control in 1996 (when the Big Media conglomerate merged with the Atlanta company). While fellow Turner-owned studio Castle Rock eventually became absorbed into Warner Bros, New Line was kept a separate entity where Shaye/Lynne had considerable autonomy. This was always a sore point inside the media giant, less so when New Line was making gobs of money with its Austin Powers and Lord Of The Rings film franchises, more so in recent years because of a steady stream of budget busters and box office losers (including 2007's bomb The Last Mimzy which Shaye foolishly directed himself and costly over-marketed).
I can't pinpoint just when the formal announcement of Shaye's and Lynne's departures will come, but it's a safe bet that New Line will be folded into Warner Bros as a result, moving such premium projects as the long anticipated back-to-back feature films of that beloved book The Hobbit. Well, it's about time! Kudos to Bewkes for having the brass balls to make this bold move. I've found Bastard Bob's behavior over this past year to be abhorrent, from his studio's legal shenanigans with Peter Jackson to his own "Lord Of The Rants" attacks on director after director who's made money for New Line. Good thing Shaye will be leaving sooner rather than later: I was running out of pejoratives (like "prick" and "idiot") to describe him."

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

[Mericalis]

Interesting subject...although it doesn't appear to have any bearing on the company's backing Blu-ray exclusively; however, I would like to see New Line Cinema continue as a separate studio.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Mericalis

Interesting subject...although it doesn't appear to have any bearing on the company's backing Blu-ray exclusively; however, I would like to see New Line Cinema continue as a separate studio.

Since Warner is going Blu, this will make New Line even more solid in that respect. However, with the financial losses New Line has had, it makes it unlikely for Warner to green light a sequel for The Golden Compass. And before a war starts over this, I want to point out that even though that movie made more money outside of the U.S., New Line sold the rights oustside of the U.S., so they didn't get the benefit of those sales.

[Grubert]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6251099.stm

New Line co-chairman Bob Shaye told the Sci-Fi Wire that Jackson would never make The Hobbit "during my watch".

Well he was right. The Hobbit won't be made during his watch (I know, I know - PJ will probably only produce, but he'll be onboard and Shaye will be out).

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Grubert

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6251099.stm



Well he was right. The Hobbit won't be made during his watch (I know, I know - PJ will probably only produce, but he'll be onboard and Shaye will be out).

That was a year ago. One week after The Golden Compass came out, and it was obvious it was going to lose money, Shaye all of a sudden makes peace with PJ to get the Hobbit movie rolling. I suddenly have warm feelings about The Golden Compass movie now.

[glenn22]

Interesting information. I never knew there was such animosity between the execs of the 2 companies. If all that happens is we see the WB logo instead of the film logo of New Line at the beginning of the Hobbit... then I don't really mind.

[foots]

I'd prefer New Line stay seperate as well. New Line's home video releases are consitently top notch. WB.... not so much.

[WickyWoo]

I'd say this opens the gate for PJ to direct actually

The beef was with Shaye

[RUR]

Originally Posted by Grubert

Well he was right. The Hobbit won't be made during his watch (I know, I know - PJ will probably only produce, but he'll be onboard and Shaye will be out).

Delicious irony.

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

I'd say this opens the gate for PJ to direct actually

The beef was with Shaye

From your lips to God's ear. Do we know if PJ has any conflicting projects?

[WickyWoo]

From your lips to God's ear. Do we know if PJ has any conflicting projects?

Who knows, PJ always has something cooking

[hollywoodguy]

Originally Posted by radagast

However, with the financial losses New Line has had, it makes it unlikely for Warner to green light a sequel for The Golden Compass. And before a war starts over this, I want to point out that even though that movie made more money outside of the U.S., New Line sold the rights oustside of the U.S., so they didn't get the benefit of those sales.

I could see the international distributers etc. footing the bill for a sequel. There is too much money in this franchise internationally to just do nothing with it. We can only hope they won't let Uwe Boll direct...

[radagast]

Originally Posted by RUR

Delicious irony.


From your lips to God's ear. Do we know if PJ has any conflicting projects?

I seem to remember that PJ was contracted to direct two movies. One was "Tin Tin" and the other "The Lovely Bones".

Theonering.net is contradicting the news that Shaye and Lynne are getting sacked.

Who knows what's going on?

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by radagast

I seem to remember that PJ was contracted to direct two movies. One was "Tin Tin" and the other "The Lovely Bones".

The Lovely Bones is in principal photography now.