Oscar Bait in March = Dead Meat
I haven’t had anything to say about the ongoing divorce between DreamWorks and Paramount because the daily machinations of the bean counting stooges bore me and which studio’s name is on what picture doesn’t account for much. However, as part of the DreamWorks shakeout, Paramount announced on Wednesday that it was scaling back its yearly production to 20 films: 12 by Paramount, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies, 4 by Paramount Vantage and 2-4 by DreamWorks Animation and Marvel Studios.
More importantly, this news was followed yesterday by a report from Nikki Finke that Paramount was reshuffling its 2008-2009 lineup by moving Edward Zwick’s Defiance from December 12th to an Oscar-qualifying December 31st slot with a wide release to follow January 16th. Most curiously of all, Paramount is also moving DreamWorks’ The Soloist starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx from a November 21st limited release to March 13th — out of the Oscar game altogether.
Is this last move just a big slap in the face to DreamWorks or what? The Soloist seemed to be made for Oscar and now it’s left out in the cold.
Both films will still make their premieres at the upcoming AFI Fest, but combined with news that John Hillcoat’s The Road is being bumped from November to December and may get pushed back to next year altogether, the Fall/Winter landscape has a few gaping holes in it.
Filed under: News, Release Dates
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I am completely pissed that they’re shoving RDJ into a March slot and screwing him out of a chance for a nomination.
Fuck Paramount.
It probably is all about Paramount and DreamWorks divorcing. Paramount is stealing an heirloom or two from DreamWorks with this move.
Ouch, Alison. I was thinking/hoping an Oscar nomination for The Soloist would have been a most fitting way for this year to conclude for Downey, Jr., solidifying 2008 as his breakout (and comeback) year, between Iron Man, Tropic Thunder and The Soloist. Bah.
These films have to make way for Clint Eastwood! Gran Torino is a film no one has seen one shot from, nor heard anything about in months, but it will come out because the perennially neglected Eastwood needs some Oscah love.
(Alexander now vacates the room, feeling as though he has stirred up enough LiC members.)
Yes, there’s already been a stir over Gran Torino amongst Oscar watchers in the past 2 days - at least over at Awards Daily.
Like I said, nothing against Clint, but he already has a truckload of Oscars. Then again none of them are for Best Actor. But I would like to see this year’s Oscars going to Fincher or someone else who has yet to be recognized.
Actually one of the other theories that Finke suggested is that Paramount wants to put all their money into the campaign for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I guess after screwing a certain Brad Pitt movie last year they’re willing to make it up - at least to him.
It is curious to see a studio make such odd moves so early in the season. Defiance and Soloist both have Oscar bait all over them, so why limit or destroy their chances?
I’m with Alison. As usual. About Paramount, RDJ, and Clint.
I’m sure there are all kinds of reasonable economic and business reasons why going forward with this reduced slate makes sense for Paramount, but why couldn’t they have instigated this policy for the coming year and left this year on track?
I’m glad you picked up on Finke’s comment about Benjamin Button Alison. This could be good news for that film…and I hope it is.
I really wonder if The Soloist move is just a big F-you to DreamWorks combined with a need to fill some holes in the ‘09 schedule.
I’m more interested in Gran Torino than I am Changeling because history shows I like Clint Eastwood movies best when he’s actually in them.
I agree he doesn’t need any more Oscars however.
Clint’s the only name actor in Gran Torino–at least I don’t recognize anyone else in the cast. So if it’s any good, it could jumpstart several careers.
I’m most dismayed at the potential delay of The Road, which apart from Benjamin Button and Quantum of Solace was one of my most anticipated films of the fall. I feel like I’ve seen Defiance 30 times already (I’ll still see it, but Zwick is Zwick and Glory is Last Samurai is Blood Diamond etc.), and The Soloist wasn’t really flipping my flapjacks.
If this is a “screw you” from Paramount to Dreamworks, well, that’s not really all that surprising. To play that high up you have to have some kind of ego, and someone’s probably got trampled on a bit.
“…I feel like I’ve seen Defiance 30 times already (I’ll still see it, but Zwick is Zwick and Glory is Last Samurai is Blood Diamond etc.)…”
I could not agree more, Evan.
According to the rumor mill on other sites, The Road is suffering from a number of issues, not the least of which is that it’s behind schedule on post production. Apparently, it’s also been scoring horribly in test screenings. I don’t want to say anything more about what I read so as not to spoil any expectations, but it could easily be the Zodiac/Assassination of Jesse James of 2008 or just a plain mess.
Apparently the Weinsteins are still mulling their options, but the outlook doesn’t look good right now.
Honestly, though I am looking forward to The Road, I think from a marketing standpoint, an uber-bleak, post-apocalyptic meditation on the fragility of civilization might not be the best product to promote as the economy’s on the brink of collapse and everyone’s jumping off buildings and shooting their families.
Though there’s no certainty, political promises aside, that 2009 will be much rosier.