Box Office

Basterds Can't Save Weinsteins

Brothers will only get half its profits.

If an elite team of Nazi killers can’t save the Weinstein brothers, then who can? Despite Inglourious Basterds taking number one at the box office this weekend, The Wall Street Journal reports that the Weinstein Co. is still in financial trouble. It shares ownership of the film with Universal, and so will earn only half its profits. Where did Harvey and Bob go wrong? When they started Weinstein Co. in 2005, the brothers did not simply want to repeat their success at Miramax. Rather than focusing on film, they “invested in Genius Products, a home-entertainment distributor, as well as a social-networking site called A Small World, and a clothing line, Halston.” The success of Basterds, Harvey says, makes the duo want to focus on big, film-maker driven theatrical releases. In June, they hired a firm that helps corporate restructuring of "overleveraged companies.”