Sony and MGM Distribution Deal

[Goldeneye]

Gathering up the tidbits about the possible new Sony deal and putting them in one thread to make them easier to locate in the future..

http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/javier- ... rustrated/
This guy has other offers and he turned down Oliver Stone last year. I don't think he is going to do it.

This part needs explaining.

The other Bond #23 news is this: Deadline has learned that MGM's new leadership is trying to leverage the next Bond pic, and indeed the Bond franchise, to create more cash flow for the post-bankruptcy studio. The new brass, Spyglass Entertainment co-owners Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum who are now the Co-Chairmen/CEOs of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc, are in the middle of negotiating to make an overall deal for worldwide theatrical and home entertainment distribution of not just Bond but also MGM's new product as well as its library of films. But what isn't known is that, as part of that deal, MGM wants whichever studio is chosen to distribute Bond 23 to co-finance a number of films with MGM. "That would provide MGM quick cash flow," an insider tells Deadline. "The quick cash flow allows MGM to have revenue which it hasn't had in a long time. Thereby their books look better, and therefore the possibility of getting more funds for production is increased. So expect whichever studio lands Bond to also announce it is several co-financing deals allowing MGM into other pics that are already shooting."

There's no doubt this is a shrewd move by MGM, but Deadline has learned it's not sitting well with the majors. Top execs at Sony and Fox and Paramount and Warner Bros who are all involved in the negotiations to distribute Bond "are growing increasingly frustrated with the way that the Spyglass duo are playing one studio off another -- and enjoying it," in the words of one exec involved. One studio even described its strategy to win Bond #23 was reduced recently to "pleading".

What does it mean?

It's hits the fan. The other studios put the brakes on the bozo act at MGM. Supposedly leaving Sony as the last man standing and the last man willing to make what is from most account a bad deal. Problem is Sony is not on good term with the Brocs despite PR BS to the contrary. MGM and Sony's messy history is a problem but not enough to stop a business deal. Sony would be very happy distributing Bond 23, it is where they made money in Bond 21 and 22.
Some odd talk of Sony giving MGM a piece of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, not sure if it is a nice gesture or a meaningless one. Still nothing is done yet

Aaaannd there it goes! MGM people have been greedy and overdid it.. result? Deal with Sony. LMAO! Sorry this is just hilarious... the Brocs having to deal with Sony again is like watching a comedy unfold... minus the happy ending Paramount was leading the pack of distributors, so now instead it's Columbia? And excuse me? Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.. more Craigster stuff? Doubt they are so interested in that. The really interesting bit of course is that it's hit the fan We can sit back with the popcorn and await the developments. I'm curious to see what the next step of the war is.

There is also some talk questioning if 2012 is a achievable goal. Consider a new green like Superman has a start time, budget, locations scouted and a finished script -nomatter how much it needs to be polished before this summer. Bond has talking points and some of the oddest business workings to happen in Tinseltown in a long time.
Not impossible for them to pull it off, if there is real work being done on EONs side of things.

But EON clearly said nobody was working on the script, and we got Logan out of nowhere after the summer debacle with Morgan... they had a big fallout over the script clearly, which indicates nothing good. And, Logan is certainly nobody to write light, quick, action flicks like Bond is supposed to be. I'm unsure whether they'll just slap together something quick or whether they just won't manage to meet the deadline. The problem with Eon is they are NEVER efficient, and the fact this dude was brought on board so late in the game after a fallout...

And let's not even get into the news we're getting about the movie so far. Bardem usually wants to see a script before doing a movie, and he isn't the type to do Bond movies... well unless they're the NON Bond-like Craig ones. He's certainly a good actor and good at portraying villains, but I'm afraid the spec above is correct... they'll just want him to REPLAY the bad guy he played in his previous movie, and that's got NOTHING to do with Bond. I'm curious to see how things unfold now.

I'd love Sony to get the deal, then they'd have leverage to force EON to make the two movies they own Sony. Last time Sony made these same promises they royally screwed MGM over. I think MGM would write in a lot of protections favoring them in any new deal with Sony. Although on the bright side Sony would release all 20 Bond movie on Blu-ray and they wouldn't be the sucky Fox releases. All the PR of how wonderfully MGM and Sony got along or how Amy Pascal and Babs are best gal pals is ridiculous. It ignores all recent the history.

A % of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and maybe the new Spider-man, many not be worth much. Spider-man more than GWTDT. I am not certain GWTDT is a sleeper hit or a big draw. It should certainly do well enough to warrant sequels but I guess it depends what they are trading for it.

I am not certain GWTDT is a sleeper hit or a big draw. It should certainly do well enough to warrant sequels but I guess it depends what they are trading for it.

I don't like making box office predictions, but since Fincher is involved, my guess is that it will do Se7en-type numbers, adjusted for inflation.

Se7en numbers, I will be truly impressed. I was thinking closer to Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The subject is popular but will the advertising campaign be enough to get people out of their homes to see it. Again if they saw the original films.
David Fincher is a good choice for this project, my feel is the BO might be weak and home video strong. Still plenty of time to get the buzz going.

BTW Spyglass was trying to get Paramount to give them a % of Transformers 3. Strange that Spyglass seem to be willing to back off some things for Sony, arguably lesser offerings and gave Paramount a hard time for the same % as a distributor. My guess is the game is very much a foot.

I am unsure they will make Se7en numbers... there's no Brad Pitt to market here. And no Kevin Spacey. And Craig isn't nearly as much of a draw.

Spyglass seems to be wanting someone who will further their stance for Bond... which isn't the same as Babs's. In short: either they get someone new and get to be partners with them, as in directly involved in projects so they can count on THEIR vote too when it's time to do an MGM project, or they will go back to Sony, knowing full well what feud there is between them and Babs. Result is the same: a partner that stands on their same side rather than Babs's. I think the last deal screwed over EON rather than MGM.

I'd love Sony to get the deal, then they'd have leverage to force EON to make the two movies they own Sony.

Exactly

Forgetting about Bond for a moment the last time MGM and Sony did this dance MGM was furious at Sonys mismanagement. Eventually Sony admitted they mishandled the MGM library but what was done was done. MGM was so upset they stared the process of paying Sony off to get rid of them.

It is sort of good and sort of bad to see all of this happening. Sort of good because maybe MGM is playing it smart for a change and will mange their money smartly. Sort of bad since they are burning bridges and in three to four years may be back where they started -trying to find a buyer.

I have to wonder what happened to screw up the Paramount deal, it was so close to being done even the Brocs were on board, then this.
It is smart to try to diversify it if only to have more income coming in from different sources as well as make sure any partners have a vested interest in MGMs success, but all of this reminds me of Icahn.

Sony Taking Over MGM's Foreign Theatrical Distribution From Fox? http://dlvr.it/Jt1pn

EXCLUSIVE: But the good news for Fox is that MGM is looking to let Fox keep distributing all of MGM's library on home video because the studio has done such a good job since 2006, especially with the James Bond franchise. On the other hand, Fox appears resigned to the near-reality that Sony's distribution deal with MGM will include international theatrical distribution which Fox used to handle. Expect a decision on all of this within the next weeks.

AND of course Nikki Finke is always the first one to report and the only one who always knows what's going on...

I knew the deal wasn't done yet, this FOX aspect is puzzling. Although Sony did screw them over last time they were handling home video releases. Still it is a weird mix apparently films Sony co-finances will be distributed on Home Video by Sony and those MGM finance will be by FOX. TV rights for different countries are being negotiated as well. FOX current contract expires this fall. Thinking about it MGM owes FOX a huge chunk of change for handling their home video release, somewhere north of 60m maybe this is part of trade off.

I had hopes FOX would be gone they are rubbish releasing Blu-rays.

Of COURSE. There is the whole deal explained. MGM owes Fox a huge load of money. Fox has rights to distribute MGM movies internationally, but MGM is desperate to get financing because they need to have cash flow (their words, not mine, in quotes in the previous Finke article where she explained what MGM was up to with distributors and how pissed the other studios were about it). So obviously, since Fox not only won't give them money but is to receive lots of money from them, the distribution agreement has to be put up for grabs. But not all of it, since MGM CANNOT cut Fox off or the debts to pay will be insurmountable.

So next chapter: Paramount is about to close the deal for distributing Bond but MGM, desperate for cash, baits all the studios with this "You've got to co-finance other projects if you want to distribute Bond" idea. Which is basically extortion, and everyone gets pissed off. Enter Sony, who has screwed MGM and most of all EON over badly last time around, and who knows that it can finally win its war against Babs and get Bond in one clean swoop (again, for those who think Babs is actually friends with Amy, think again). MGM/EON situation is extremely tense and a lot of people at MGM don't want Babs around, so let's give Sony distribution of the Bond movie, and they'll co-finance other projects, and help us finally outnumber Babs on decisions (and maybe make a profit with Bond again, since we can't afford to book another loss with a Bond movie AT ALL, we're bankrupt) but Fox will retain the home video part because there's no way we can pay them all that money. And we thought it was messy... it's basically a hornet's nest This is, by the way, all based on facts reported by Finke and other things we know from people directly involved, so it's not like I'm elaborating something out of the blue. Most of this was already reported, I am just putting the pieces together thanks to Mazer's brilliant point about MGM owing Fox lots of money (north of $60 mln as Mazer said). And by lots of money we mean even more than the QoS loss was. All kidding aside, this really is a bloody mess. And I'm afraid it shows how far from good the situation for MGM is.

[Alessandra]

Thanks for this Goldeneye! Much easier for everyone to keep track

This whole deal is getting messier by the minute. The last chapter with theatrical distribution rights to Sony and Home Video distribution rights to Fox is just one more over-complicated mess adding up to the pre-existing mess. But, as I said, does make sense in the current situation and given how much of a war is going on behind the scenes. Eagerly waiting for the next chapter to unfold at this point. And while this goes on there's still NO distribution deal for Bond signed and there's no script, obviously not even the shadow of casting calls since they can't do those without a script, but not even locations being scouted. While Cavill's Superman, which will be released a month after Bond 23, already has everything in place, and casting is well under way, with key roles already being cast. It's puzzling to say the least.

[Omega]

While Cavill's Superman, which will be released a month after Bond 23, already has everything in place, and casting is well under way, with key roles already being cast. It's puzzling to say the least.

Kevin Costner for godsake! Why would any body return his calls! John Schneider is impressive as Jonathan Kent I don't think Costner who will hopefully be a small part of the movie can compete.