Paddington 2 producers have found a new U.S. distributor after cutting ties with The Weinstein Company following sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein
The animated sequel, which stars Hugh Bonneville and Hugh Grant, was released in the U.K. by StudioCanal earlier this month (Nov17) and was due to be released in the U.S. by The Weinstein Company (TWC) in January (18), but after allegations of sexual harassment and assault came out about the co-founder Harvey in October, producer David Heyman revealed he was looking to get the company removed from the film’s credits.
It has now been revealed that the producers have successfully cut ties with the company and the family movie will now be distributed by Warner Bros., which was already distributing the film in Spain.
According to Deadline, Warner executives were locked in a bidding war with Lionsgate and Global Road that reached more than $30 million.
Heyman previously told the website, “(I hope) The Weinstein Company name is nowhere near Paddington 2… (The Weinsteins) had absolutely nothing to do with the financing or making of this film.
“It’s very sad and deeply frustrating that Paddington, who’s been around for more than 50 years, and is always looking for the good in people, and has such a generous, warm-hearted spirit, could have any association.”
Weinstein was fired from TWC in October after the allegations came out and he will not receive credit on upcoming releases. The company later entered talks with private equity firm Colony Capital for the sale of its assets.
It is not known what will happen to films on their upcoming slate, such as Mary Magdalene, The Current War, and Hotel Mumbai.
The news comes as TMZ.com reports the company is being sued over their horror movie Amityville: The Awakening, which was released in October. Lesia Anson, the widow of The Amityville Horror author Jay Anson, claims they ripped off his work with the sequel and never approached her for permission. She also called the film “a cinematic mess (which) received dreadful reviews”.
