The Weinsteins leave Disney

Harvey and Bob now plan to make their own movies under the 'Weinstein Co' banner.

Mar 30 2005

After months of speculation, rumination and consideration, the Weinstein brothers have finally left the Walt Disney Co.

However, far from disappearing from the movie scene altogether however, Bob and Harvey have big plans afoot.

The pair have announced they're setting up their own company, tentatively called The Weinstein Co, which will keep the Dimension Films label plus a slew of films the pair worked on while with the house of mouse.

Disney, meanwhile, will retain the Miramax name as well as both the Miramax and Dimension film libraries.

Yet while the brothers may be sad to leave behind the company they co-founded 25 years ago (and even named after their parents, Miriam and Max), they have wasted little time in announcing the inaugural slate of movies from their new venture.

A combination of original productions, acquisitions and joint ventures with Disney, the first group of releases includes Kevin Smith's 'The Passion of the Clerks', Stephen Frears' 'Mrs Henderson Presents', Anthony Minghella's 'Breaking and Entering' and Greg McLean's heavily hyped horror movie 'Wolf Creek'.

The Weinsteins will also oversee the next projects from Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, as well as releasing the combined, uncut, four-hour version of 'Kill Bill'.

Following this initial slew of projects, they then plan to release between 15 and 20 of their own films a year while at the same time branching out into theatre and television. So it's clear that the Disney divorce definitely isn't the last we'll hear from the brothers Weinstein!

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