Genius Products Inc. (GNPR)

[fredman]

More homevid deals for TWC
Weinsteins on lookout for more distributors

The Weinstein Co. may have set up its library of films and direct-to-DVD titles at Vivendi Universal, but the brothers are still looking at a separate distributor for its upcoming homevideo releases.

The company is close to announcing an exclusive home entertainment pact with a major studio. But that could end up being several studios, as TWC sets up deals at various companies around town as it seeks out the best distribution deals for its pics.

Universal Pictures' homevid arm will roll out "Inglourious Basterds" on DVD and Blu-ray later this year, given that it released the film last month.

Yet while some have speculated that U is the likely studio to land the homevid rights for all of TWC's future pics, it won't necessarily be an overall deal, according to TWC co-topper Bob Weinstein.

"We're in talks with multiple companies on our wide releases," he told Daily Variety from the Toronto Film Festival.

That's mainly because setting up an overall deal at one studio could prove difficult if films are released by individual distribs.

Only Universal and 20th Century Fox handle homevideo releases for other studios, with U distribbing Blu-rays and DVDs for Summit Entertainment, while Fox oversees titles for MGM, Lionsgate and Anchor Bay.

TWC will likely use homevideo as a way to broker the most lucrative deals it can when releasing its pics -- especially as it looks for ways to shore up more coin to keep it afloat as an indie.

For now, it will work with Vivendi Entertainment to exploit its catalog and direct-to-DVD biz and start rolling them out on Blu-ray, as part of the company's takeover of the homevid arm of Genius Products. Most of the films have yet to bow on the high-def format. Vivendi will also handle digital distribution to websites and other platforms. TWC had been a majority owner of Genius.

Bob Weinstein called Vivendi Entertainment a "great place to build our home entertainment library" especially to "develop and increase our catalog business ... we look at it as an alliance that will bear fruit on multiple levels."

Don't count U out just yet, however.

What helped seal the Vivendi deal for Genius was the Weinstein's 20-year relationship with Doug Morris, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group. Vivendi Entertainment is a division of Universal Music Group Distribution.

U Music will also release the upcoming soundtrack for the Weinstein's musical "Nine" through U and Geffen Records that Rob Marshall helmed and co-stars Daniel Day Lewis, Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman.

TWC bows "Nine" in October, with "The Road," based on the Cormac McCarthy novel, to follow in November.

The Weinstein Co. catalog includes "The Reader," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "El Cid," as well as direct-to-DVD pics like George Romero's "Diary of the Dead," "Teeth," and the second and third installments of the "Pulse" horror pics, from the Dimension Extreme and Dragon Dynasty labels.

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008607.html