The Weinstein Company is a in independent film studio founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 2005 after the pair left the Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979. The Dimension Films label of Miramax followed the brothers to their new company. Advisors to the new studio include Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
Directors Anthony Minghella, Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino are said to be working on films for the fledgling company.
Among the 2005 films that served as their first projects to be released were the dramatic thriller Derailed (starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen), the offbeat comedy-drama Transamerica (starring Felicity Huffman) the computer-animated family film Hoodwinked, and the caper comedy The Matador (starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear).
Because of the criticism levelled at the Weinsteins during their Miramax days for their redubbing and soundtrack alteration of Asian films such as Shaolin Soccer and Hero, which caused purists to cry foul over the filmmaker's vision being muddled, the question remains of whether they will continue such practices now that they are no longer associated with Disney. Already The Weinstein Company has purchased the rights to Tom-Yum-Goong (starring Tony Jaa) and The Promise (starring Cecilia Cheung), which they have retitled Master of the Crimson Armor for American test audiences, a move that may indicate that their previous practices toward such films may continue.
Weinstein Films
- Derailed (November 2005)
- Transamerica (December 2005)
- Hoodwinked (December 2005)
- Mrs. Henderson Presents (December 2005)
- Wolf Creek (December 2005)
- The Matador (December 2005)
Soon to be Released
- Doogal (February 2006)
- Pulse (March 2006)
- Lucky Number Slevin (March 2006)
- Scary Movie 4 (April 2006)
- School for Scoundrels (July 2006)
- Stormbreaker (August 2006)
- Clerks 2 (August 2006)
- Breaking and Entering (Summer 2006)
- Sin City 2 (Summer 2006)
- Decameron: Angels & Virgins (Summer 2006)
- Grind House (September 2006)
- Killshot (Fall 2006)
- The Last Legion (Fall 2006)