Tom Barrack, once an informal adviser to Donald Trump and former CEO of Colony Capital, pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal lobbying and lying to federal agents.
Barrack, 74, entered a Brooklyn federal courthouse on Monday for his arraignment to the shouts of some hecklers, one of whom yelled, “It’s our democracy, not yours.”
On Friday, Barrack was ordered released on a $250 million bond, secured with cash, securities and real estate. He also was ordered to wear a bracelet and will be subject to electronic monitoring. He also will have travel restrictions from his home in Aspen, Co, limited to trips to California to visit family members and to New York for court appearances. At his hearing on Monday, a magistrate judge, Sanket J. Bulsara, also ordered that Barrack not travel on private aircraft.
A co-defendant, Matthew Grimes, a business associate, also pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $5 million bond on Friday.
Barrack, 74, entered a Brooklyn federal courthouse on Monday for his arraignment to the shouts of some hecklers, one of whom yelled, “It’s our democracy, not yours.”
On Friday, Barrack was ordered released on a $250 million bond, secured with cash, securities and real estate. He also was ordered to wear a bracelet and will be subject to electronic monitoring. He also will have travel restrictions from his home in Aspen, Co, limited to trips to California to visit family members and to New York for court appearances. At his hearing on Monday, a magistrate judge, Sanket J. Bulsara, also ordered that Barrack not travel on private aircraft.
A co-defendant, Matthew Grimes, a business associate, also pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $5 million bond on Friday.
- 7/26/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Barrack, the founder and former CEO of Colony Capital and longtime advisor to Donald Trump, was released on Friday on a whopping $250 million bond, three days after being arrested on charges that he acted as an unregistered foreign agent and lied about it to investigators.
Barrack, 74, was freed from a county jail facility in San Bernardino, according to jail records. He was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles on charges he that he illegally sought to influence policy for the United Arab Emirates with disclosing himself as a registered foreign agent.
“I want to thank the fine men and women of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, the United States Marshals Service and the Central District of California Court, Pretrial, and Probation teams,” Barrack said in a statement on Friday evening. “They have difficult jobs and carry them out with great professionalism. I also want to recognize the grace...
Barrack, 74, was freed from a county jail facility in San Bernardino, according to jail records. He was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles on charges he that he illegally sought to influence policy for the United Arab Emirates with disclosing himself as a registered foreign agent.
“I want to thank the fine men and women of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, the United States Marshals Service and the Central District of California Court, Pretrial, and Probation teams,” Barrack said in a statement on Friday evening. “They have difficult jobs and carry them out with great professionalism. I also want to recognize the grace...
- 7/24/2021
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Barrack, the former CEO of Colony Capital who chaired President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, was arrested Tuesday on charges that he sought to influence the campaign and the Trump administration while acting as an unregistered agent of the United Arab Emirates.
Barrack, 74, also was charged with obstruction of justice and making multiple false statements during a June 20, 2019, interview with federal agents.
Also charged for illegal lobbying were Matthew Grimes, 27, of Aspen, Colorado, along with a UAE national, Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, aka Rashid Al Malik and Rashid Al‑Malik, 43. They are charged with failing to register as foreign agents and conspiring to do so.
“The defendants repeatedly capitalized on Barrack’s friendships and access to a candidate who was eventually elected President, high-ranking campaign and government officials, and the American media to advance the policy goals of a foreign government without disclosing their true allegiances,” said Mark Lesko,...
Barrack, 74, also was charged with obstruction of justice and making multiple false statements during a June 20, 2019, interview with federal agents.
Also charged for illegal lobbying were Matthew Grimes, 27, of Aspen, Colorado, along with a UAE national, Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, aka Rashid Al Malik and Rashid Al‑Malik, 43. They are charged with failing to register as foreign agents and conspiring to do so.
“The defendants repeatedly capitalized on Barrack’s friendships and access to a candidate who was eventually elected President, high-ranking campaign and government officials, and the American media to advance the policy goals of a foreign government without disclosing their true allegiances,” said Mark Lesko,...
- 7/20/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
President Donald Trump’s inauguration chairman, Tom Barrack, lobbied the new administration to share nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia while, at the same time, making plans to team up with the Saudis to buy a company that would benefit from the policy change, according to documents obtained by a House committee.
During the campaign, Barrack advised Trump on the Middle East, where he has long-standing business relationships. As Trump clinched the Republican nomination in 2016, Barrack shared a draft of a policy speech with a businessman from the United Arab Emirates,...
During the campaign, Barrack advised Trump on the Middle East, where he has long-standing business relationships. As Trump clinched the Republican nomination in 2016, Barrack shared a draft of a policy speech with a businessman from the United Arab Emirates,...
- 8/1/2019
- by Isaac Arnsdorf, ProPublica
- Rollingstone.com
Tom Barrack’s investment company Colony Capital is possibly looking to purchase a minority stake in Legendary Entertainment.
Home of the Godzilla franchise, Detective Pikachu, Netflix’s adaptation of Lost in Space and the forthcoming Amazon series Carnival Row starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, Legendary Entertainment is owned by Dalian Wanda Group. According to Bloomberg, Colony has been in talks to buy a minority stake and the investment would be significantly lower than the $3.5 billion Wanda acquired it for in 2016.
The report surfaced at the same time The New York Times divulged a long-running investigation by federal prosecutors into the activities of Barrack and others connected with President Donald Trump. At the heart of the inquiry is the question of whether Barrack, who has extensive business activity in the Middle East, illegally tried to influence American policy at the direction of foreign interests. Barrack has been interviewed by investigators at his request,...
Home of the Godzilla franchise, Detective Pikachu, Netflix’s adaptation of Lost in Space and the forthcoming Amazon series Carnival Row starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, Legendary Entertainment is owned by Dalian Wanda Group. According to Bloomberg, Colony has been in talks to buy a minority stake and the investment would be significantly lower than the $3.5 billion Wanda acquired it for in 2016.
The report surfaced at the same time The New York Times divulged a long-running investigation by federal prosecutors into the activities of Barrack and others connected with President Donald Trump. At the heart of the inquiry is the question of whether Barrack, who has extensive business activity in the Middle East, illegally tried to influence American policy at the direction of foreign interests. Barrack has been interviewed by investigators at his request,...
- 7/29/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
U.S. financier Colony Capital may be in negotiations to buy a minority share stake in Legendary Entertainment. The Hollywood production company behind “Godzilla” and “Pacific Rim” is owned by China’s Wanda group.
Bloomberg reported Sunday that Colony had held talks with Wanda. It reported that Colony may use a new fund, Colony Media Partners, for the stake purchase, and that the implied valuation would be “significantly lower” than the eye-popping $3.5 billion that Wanda paid for Legendary in 2016. The participants in Colony Media Partners are not currently known.
Bloomberg also said that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had shown renewed interest in Legendary, after apparently discussing a $700 million investment in 2018.
Contacted by Variety on Monday local time, Wanda offered no comment. Representatives for Legendary also did not respond to Variety’s inquiries.
Colony Capital, which is headed by high-profile investor Tom Barrack, previously bought U.S. mini studio...
Bloomberg reported Sunday that Colony had held talks with Wanda. It reported that Colony may use a new fund, Colony Media Partners, for the stake purchase, and that the implied valuation would be “significantly lower” than the eye-popping $3.5 billion that Wanda paid for Legendary in 2016. The participants in Colony Media Partners are not currently known.
Bloomberg also said that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had shown renewed interest in Legendary, after apparently discussing a $700 million investment in 2018.
Contacted by Variety on Monday local time, Wanda offered no comment. Representatives for Legendary also did not respond to Variety’s inquiries.
Colony Capital, which is headed by high-profile investor Tom Barrack, previously bought U.S. mini studio...
- 7/29/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
President Trump built a not insignificant part of his political career on demonizing Hillary Clinton for using a private email server to conduct government business. On Thursday, Americans were provided with more evidence that the problem is rampant within Trump’s own administration.
In a letter to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-md) wrote that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump used private messaging services to conduct official White House business. Kushner, a senior adviser to the president, has used the encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to communicate with foreign leaders,...
In a letter to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-md) wrote that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump used private messaging services to conduct official White House business. Kushner, a senior adviser to the president, has used the encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to communicate with foreign leaders,...
- 3/22/2019
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
The famous ranch at the center of “Leaving Neverland” is for sale — but the property’s current owner, and his decision to sell it now, only add to the strangeness surrounding Michael Jackson’s longtime home.
Tom Barrack, a close Trump ally, and his Colony Capital Inc., bought Neverland from Jackson in 2008, less than a year before Jackson died. The company announced plans to sell it (again) on Friday, just before HBO debuted “Leaving Neverland,” which details accusations from two young men that Jackson sexually abused them there.
According to the website of the real estate company Compass, 5225 Figueroa Mountain Road is on the market for $31 million. It was previously offered for $100 million in 2015, and $67 million in 2017.
Also Read: 5 Most Devastating Accusations Against Michael Jackson From 'Leaving Neverland'
Laura Kalb, a real estate agent at Hilton & Hyland, whose company had the property co-listed with Sotheby’s International Realty in 2015, told...
Tom Barrack, a close Trump ally, and his Colony Capital Inc., bought Neverland from Jackson in 2008, less than a year before Jackson died. The company announced plans to sell it (again) on Friday, just before HBO debuted “Leaving Neverland,” which details accusations from two young men that Jackson sexually abused them there.
According to the website of the real estate company Compass, 5225 Figueroa Mountain Road is on the market for $31 million. It was previously offered for $100 million in 2015, and $67 million in 2017.
Also Read: 5 Most Devastating Accusations Against Michael Jackson From 'Leaving Neverland'
Laura Kalb, a real estate agent at Hilton & Hyland, whose company had the property co-listed with Sotheby’s International Realty in 2015, told...
- 3/5/2019
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Many of the acolytes around Donald Trump these days seem to be running for cover, except for the man who essentially created him. Mark Burnett, the maven of reality TV, remains a Trump protector and is getting heat for it, but he himself dwells behind a veil of contradiction and mystery, as a lengthy piece in the New Yorker reminds us this week.
The man behind The Apprentice, Survivor, The Voice and Shark Tank, who now also serves as chairman of MGM Television, continues to churn out TV shows and movies, some of them embracing a clear ideological message. But who is he? I pondered this question given that that Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, smiling and genial as ever, were dinner guests at my home not long ago – and left me more clueless than ever about the answer.
This much is known: Burnett anointed a financially foundering, B-list...
The man behind The Apprentice, Survivor, The Voice and Shark Tank, who now also serves as chairman of MGM Television, continues to churn out TV shows and movies, some of them embracing a clear ideological message. But who is he? I pondered this question given that that Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, smiling and genial as ever, were dinner guests at my home not long ago – and left me more clueless than ever about the answer.
This much is known: Burnett anointed a financially foundering, B-list...
- 1/10/2019
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
As the investigation of the alleged coordination between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia during the 2016 election continues to unfold at a glacial pace, another development has surfaced. Robert Mueller’s team has introduced a new name into the fold: California real estate investor Tom Barrack.
Barrack, who had a big presence at last week’s Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, is one of Trump’s closest confidants and has been interviewed by investigators working for Mueller, according to the Associated Press. The specifics about Barrack’s interview remain private, but three anonymous sources spoke to the AP said the questioning focused on Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, two officials from Trump’s campaign who have been indicted by Mueller. In February, Gates pled guilty to federal conspiracy and false-statement charges in February and is now cooperating with investigators in the matter.
The AP says that, according to sources,...
Barrack, who had a big presence at last week’s Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, is one of Trump’s closest confidants and has been interviewed by investigators working for Mueller, according to the Associated Press. The specifics about Barrack’s interview remain private, but three anonymous sources spoke to the AP said the questioning focused on Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, two officials from Trump’s campaign who have been indicted by Mueller. In February, Gates pled guilty to federal conspiracy and false-statement charges in February and is now cooperating with investigators in the matter.
The AP says that, according to sources,...
- 5/5/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
It was almost inevitable ... The Weinstein Co. has filed for bankruptcy after hemorrhaging assets and facing multiple lawsuits in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. The Board of Directors said it had no choice ... this after investors bailed in droves after disclosures of Harvey Weinstein's alleged misdeeds. There were potential buyers at one time ... Colony Capital's Tom Barrack was once interested but he saw no upside and bailed. Maria Contreras-Sweet, former head of...
- 2/26/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Colony Capital will not be providing an emergency cash infusion to the Weinstein Company, as billionaire Tom Barrack’s private equity firm has decided to back away from a preliminary agreement to invest in and potentially acquire the company, the New York Times reported Wednesday. Last Monday, Colony announced that it had agreed to fund an “immediate capital infusion” into the company, which was fighting for survival after dozens of accusers alleged sexual harassment and assault against TWC co-founder and CEO Harvey Weinstein. As part of that agreement, Colony was given an exclusive negotiating period to place a bid for all.
- 10/26/2017
- by Matt Pressberg
- The Wrap
With talks about the fate of the Weinstein Co. entering their final days, Colony Capital head Tom Barrack says the legal liabilities from the dozens of women accusing co-founder Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault and harassment are creating a “Rubik’s Cube” of complexity around the company’s prospects and value. Colony earlier this month offered TWC a lifeline, extending an initial investment to fund operations while also saying it was reviewing options to acquire part or…...
- 10/25/2017
- Deadline TV
With talks about the fate of the Weinstein Co. entering their final days, Colony Capital head Tom Barrack says the legal liabilities from the dozens of women accusing co-founder Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault and harassment are creating a “Rubik’s Cube” of complexity around the company’s prospects and value. Colony earlier this month offered TWC a lifeline, extending an initial investment to fund operations while also saying it was reviewing options to acquire part or…...
- 10/25/2017
- Deadline
There is a full-court press underway to save The Weinstein Co. from bankruptcy, and the plan is bad news for Bob Weinstein but good news for a number of women who may be making legal claims. Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ, Colony Capital, which is negotiating to buy TWC, has a very detailed plan, which starts with changing the name of the company. We're told Tom Barrack, who runs Colony, believes the most...
- 10/17/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein has resigned from the board of The Weinstein Co.
On Tuesday, the remaining members of the TWC board — including co-chairman Bob Weinstein — voted to ratify Harvey's Oct. 8 termination as co-chairman, and to consider an immediate capital infusion from Tom Barrack's Colony Capital that opens the door for Colony to buy the film and television production venture, or a significant portion of its assets.
Harvey — who owns 23 percent of TWC — called into the board session, according to insiders. Powerhouse litigator Patricia Glaser is representing him in regards to his...
On Tuesday, the remaining members of the TWC board — including co-chairman Bob Weinstein — voted to ratify Harvey's Oct. 8 termination as co-chairman, and to consider an immediate capital infusion from Tom Barrack's Colony Capital that opens the door for Colony to buy the film and television production venture, or a significant portion of its assets.
Harvey — who owns 23 percent of TWC — called into the board session, according to insiders. Powerhouse litigator Patricia Glaser is representing him in regards to his...
- 10/16/2017
- by Pamela McClintock,Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After more than a decade as the top independent film outfit in Hollywood, The Weinstein Co. could be sold off to Tom Barrack's Colony Capital.
The company revealed Monday that it had received a lifeline investment from the fund, owned by the close ally of Donald Trump.
The announcement arrived 11 days after a bombshell Oct. 5 The New York Times report and then an Oct. 10 The New Yorker investigation that outlined Harvey Weinstein's decades worth of sexual assault and harassment allegations and settlements.
The announcement comes as a reversal from co-founder Bob Weinstein's statement late last week that TWC was not pursuing a...
The company revealed Monday that it had received a lifeline investment from the fund, owned by the close ally of Donald Trump.
The announcement arrived 11 days after a bombshell Oct. 5 The New York Times report and then an Oct. 10 The New Yorker investigation that outlined Harvey Weinstein's decades worth of sexual assault and harassment allegations and settlements.
The announcement comes as a reversal from co-founder Bob Weinstein's statement late last week that TWC was not pursuing a...
- 10/13/2017
- by Alex Ritman,Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tom Barrack, who chairs Trump’s Inaugural Committee, explained to CNN on Wednesday why Kanye West wasn’t asked to perform at this week’s inauguration — and the rapper probably won’t like it. “We haven’t asked him. I mean, he’s been great,” the chairman of Colony Capital told the network. “He considers himself a friend of the president-elect, but it’s not the venue. The venue we have for entertainment is filled out; it’s perfect.” But then Barrack went on to describe why West wasn’t asked to join the inauguration festivities: “It’s going to be typically and traditionally American.
- 1/19/2017
- by Itay Hod
- The Wrap
Mariah Carey was ordered out of the house she was sharing with billionaire James Packer, but she's staying put and demanding that he buy her an L.A. mansion as Part of a settlement in what has become a nasty breakup ... so say sources connected to Mariah. Our Mariah sources say she doesn't blame the breakup on James ... she blames it on famed, former Scientology bigwig Tommy Davis ... who worked closely with Tom Cruise until Davis broke from the org.
- 10/31/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
As Donald Trump kicks off his first Hollywood fundraising blitz on Wednesday evening, he may have to brace for a wave of angry protesters outside the pricey event. An anti-Trump Facebook page with more than 1,000 members called “Trumpelthinskin” is calling on its members to protest the business mogul’s posh dinner at the home of former “Forbes 400“ member Tom Barrack, a real-estate investor and founder of Colony Capital, who bought Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch last year for a reported $100 million. “This evening on San Vicente Boulevard in Santa Monica, between 15th and 16th Streets. Come on out and let...
- 5/25/2016
- by Itay Hod
- The Wrap
Miramax and The Weinstein Company (TWC) have secured a multi-year, multi-title film, television and live stage co-production and co-distribution partnership.
Content will come from library and original development projects sourced from the Miramax library.
TWC will distribute in the Us and Miramax will license international rights. The parties anticipate the first productions to start in early to mid-2014.
According to a joint press release, projects “could include derivative works of some of the most recognized titles in the Miramax library from Swingers to Shakespeare In Love in addition to new titles currently in development.”
The partnership includes development of TV series based on Miramax titles such as Good Will Hunting and Flirting With Disaster.
Several Miramax projects are in development that were set up with other partners prior to the TWC deal. Miramax is preparing TV series based on Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn, James Mangold’s Copland and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York. Miramax...
Content will come from library and original development projects sourced from the Miramax library.
TWC will distribute in the Us and Miramax will license international rights. The parties anticipate the first productions to start in early to mid-2014.
According to a joint press release, projects “could include derivative works of some of the most recognized titles in the Miramax library from Swingers to Shakespeare In Love in addition to new titles currently in development.”
The partnership includes development of TV series based on Miramax titles such as Good Will Hunting and Flirting With Disaster.
Several Miramax projects are in development that were set up with other partners prior to the TWC deal. Miramax is preparing TV series based on Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn, James Mangold’s Copland and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York. Miramax...
- 12/16/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Miramax and The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced on December 16 a multi-year, multi-title film, television and live stage co-production and co-distribution partnership.
Content will come from library and original development projects sourced from the Miramax library.
TWC will distribute in the Us and Miramax will license international rights. The parties anticipate the first productions to start in early to mid-2014.
According to a joint press release, projects “could include derivative works of some of the most recognized titles in the Miramax library from Swingers to Shakespeare In Love in addition to new titles currently in development.”
The partnership includes development of TV series based on Miramax titles such as Good Will Hunting and Flirting With Disaster.
Several Miramax projects are in development that were set up with other partners prior to the TWC deal. Miramax is preparing TV series based on Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn, James Mangold’s Copland and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York. Miramax...
Content will come from library and original development projects sourced from the Miramax library.
TWC will distribute in the Us and Miramax will license international rights. The parties anticipate the first productions to start in early to mid-2014.
According to a joint press release, projects “could include derivative works of some of the most recognized titles in the Miramax library from Swingers to Shakespeare In Love in addition to new titles currently in development.”
The partnership includes development of TV series based on Miramax titles such as Good Will Hunting and Flirting With Disaster.
Several Miramax projects are in development that were set up with other partners prior to the TWC deal. Miramax is preparing TV series based on Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn, James Mangold’s Copland and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York. Miramax...
- 12/16/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Weinsteins have reunited with Miramax, the company they started over three decades ago. The Weinstein Company announced today that it has struck a multi-year, mutli-title deal with Miramax to co-produce and co-distribute film, television and stage projects both original and based off Miramax library titles. Films made under this deal will be released in the Us by TWC and sold internationally by Miramax. Among the plans are television series based "Good Will Hunting" and "Flirting With Disaster" and film sequels to "Swingers" and "Shakespeare in Love." Miramax, which was founded by the Weinstein brothers in 1979, was acquired by Qatar Holding and an investor group led by Colony Capital in 2010. The Miramax library includes many major films of the indie boom of the '90s and beyond. "This is an amazing opportunity to reunite us with the company named after our parents Miriam and Max," Bob and Harvey Weinstein said.
- 12/16/2013
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
The Weinstein Company and Miramax have agreed to a multi-year, co-production, co-distribution deal that reunites Harvey and Bob Weinstein with the onetime powerhouse company they built, sold for millions to Disney, and reluctantly lost after an ugly divorce from Disney.
Under the new deal, the two companies will collaborate to develop film, television, and stage projects based on some of the most popular properties in the Miramax library, including Good Will Hunting and Flirting With Disaster.
“This is an amazing opportunity to reunite us with the company named after our parents Miriam and Max,” Harvey and Bob Weinstein said in a statement.
Under the new deal, the two companies will collaborate to develop film, television, and stage projects based on some of the most popular properties in the Miramax library, including Good Will Hunting and Flirting With Disaster.
“This is an amazing opportunity to reunite us with the company named after our parents Miriam and Max,” Harvey and Bob Weinstein said in a statement.
- 12/16/2013
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Breaking The Weinstein boys are back at Miramax. Colony Capital principal Tom Barrack Jr and The Weinstein Company co-chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein have set an alliance that will exploit the creative properties in the library that the brothers left behind when they exited Disney. The deal will span 20 years and multiple titles for films, TV series and live stage productions. Qatar Holding and Miramax will finance these, with TWC steering development and distributing domestically while Miramax distributes internationally. Qatar Holding and Colony Capital bought the Miramax library in 2010 for around $660 million. They’ve been successful librarians, but now Colony Capital needs the talent relationships and development expertise of the Weinsteins to become content generators. “Sure, we own the intellectual property in the library, and most of the intellectual properties in development, but we didn’t have the art form. If I called Quentin Tarantino and said, I have a...
- 12/16/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline TV
Breaking The Weinstein boys are back at Miramax. Colony Capital principal Tom Barrack Jr and The Weinstein Company co-chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein have set an alliance that will exploit the creative properties in the library that the brothers left behind when they exited Disney. The deal will span 20 years and multiple titles for films, TV series and live stage productions. Qatar Holding and Miramax will finance these, with TWC steering development and distributing domestically while Miramax distributes internationally. Qatar Holding and Colony Capital bought the Miramax library in 2010 for around $660 million. They’ve been successful librarians, but now Colony Capital needs the talent relationships and development expertise of the Weinsteins to become content generators. “Sure, we own the intellectual property in the library, and most of the intellectual properties in development, but we didn’t have the art form. If I called Quentin Tarantino and said, I have a...
- 12/16/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
A source at The Weinstein Company said talks of a merger with Miramax were unfounded but added that joint ventures could be on the table.
Reports appeared in the press on Friday [2] after Harvey Weinstein was spotted talking in St Tropez with Tom Barrack, head of Miramax owner Colony Capital.
However, well placed sources told ScreenDaily that while a merger was not on the cards, discussions were ongoing that could lead to corporate or content collaborations.
Barrack is understood to be eager to revive production at the storied studio launched in 1979 by Harvey and Bob Weinstein before the founders had to relinquish the company and the Miramax name in a bitter feud with former Disney head Michael Eisner.
Last week [29] it emerged that Weinstein had struck a deal with The Walt Disney Studios to adapt children’s book Artemis Fowl. Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal will serve as executive producers.
Reports appeared in the press on Friday [2] after Harvey Weinstein was spotted talking in St Tropez with Tom Barrack, head of Miramax owner Colony Capital.
However, well placed sources told ScreenDaily that while a merger was not on the cards, discussions were ongoing that could lead to corporate or content collaborations.
Barrack is understood to be eager to revive production at the storied studio launched in 1979 by Harvey and Bob Weinstein before the founders had to relinquish the company and the Miramax name in a bitter feud with former Disney head Michael Eisner.
Last week [29] it emerged that Weinstein had struck a deal with The Walt Disney Studios to adapt children’s book Artemis Fowl. Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal will serve as executive producers.
- 8/4/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Update Saturday 2:30 Am: Ignore those media stories claiming Miramax and The Weinstein Co are in talks for a potential merger. Even while on vacation I can tell you definitively they’re overblown. I’ve learned a merger is impossible because of The Weinstein Co‘s structure. As I first reported Friday, what is true is that Colony Capital/Miramax chief Tom Barrack and Harvey Weinstein just spent time in St Tropez conferring about ways to work together because of lots of joint venture opportunities. Such co-productions would give Harvey access to his most coveted projects from his Miramax heyday which is why he wanted to buy it back from Disney in 2010. The Weinstein Co and others are courting Miramax because its cash flow will exceed $160 million this year. “So all of the production groups would like to plug into this free cash flow with their development pipeline,” my insider said Friday.
- 8/3/2013
- by NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
- Deadline TV
Update Saturday 2:30 Am: Ignore those media stories claiming Miramax and The Weinstein Co are in talks for a potential merger. Even while on vacation I can tell you definitively they’re overblown. I’ve learned a merger is impossible because of The Weinstein Co‘s structure. As I first reported Friday, what is true is that Colony Capital/Miramax chief Tom Barrack and Harvey Weinstein just spent time in St Tropez conferring about ways to work together because of lots of joint venture opportunities. Such co-productions would give Harvey access to his most coveted projects from his Miramax heyday which is why he wanted to buy it back from Disney in 2010. The Weinstein Co and others are courting Miramax because its cash flow will exceed $160 million this year. “So all of the production groups would like to plug into this free cash flow with their development pipeline,” my insider said Friday.
- 8/3/2013
- by NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
- Deadline Hollywood
Breaking: Disney and Harvey Weinstein, who had an acrimonious parting of the ways several years ago, are back in business. Walt Disney Studios has announced that it is developing the Eoin Colfer fantasy novel Artemis Fowl, with Harvey Weinstein producing. This live-action film will be based on the first and second installments of Disney Publishing Worldwide’s bestselling series which has sold 21 million copies in 44 languages. Michael Goldenberg (Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix) is writing the script and Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal will executive produce the project. Weinstein optioned the book in 2000 through Disney-owned Miramax, along with the Tribeca duo. Weinstein notes the unlikely nature of a teaming at Disney, but of course the acrimony way back when was between him, his brother Bob and former Disney chief Michael Eisner. The Weinsteins left, and were later rebuffed when they tried to purchase the company named after their parents,...
- 7/29/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
Miramax will soon produce a few films and TV series a year and is looking to acquire both film production companies and libraries, new Miramax chairman Tom Barrack told TheWrap. The head of Colony Capital, primary investor in Miramax the past three years, took control of the indie company earlier this week after former chairman Richard Nanula resigned amid unsavory allegations. Colony initially focused on monetizing Miramax's library of films like "Shakespeare in Love" and "Swingers" produced with Harvey and Bob Weinstein at the helm, but Barrack promised that that is...
- 7/10/2013
- by Lucas Shaw
- The Wrap
Miramax announced today that Colony Capital head Tom Barrack has been named chairman, effective immediately. Barrack replaces Richard Nanula, who has severed his ties with the movie company and international investment bank amid a growing sex scandal, The Hollywood Reporter first reported on Sunday. The scandal began when pictures were published on the website The Dirty (and later elsewhere) of a man believed to be Nanula playing the male lead in a porn movie with adult-film actress Samantha Saint.
Nanula's departure left a vacancy at chairman for
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Nanula's departure left a vacancy at chairman for
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- 7/8/2013
- by THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Construction billionaire Ron Tutor has sold his minority stake in the Miramax film library to co-owner Qatar Investment Authority, a person with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap on Monday. Tutor, Qia and Tom Barrack's Colony Capital bought the library for $663 million from Disney in 2010, beating out a group headed by former Miramax chiefs Bob and Harvey Weinstein and backed by supermarket mogul Ron Burkle. Also read: Miramax Co-Owner Ron Tutor Looking to Sell Film Assets (Updated) Since then, Miramax has made a series of distribution deals and licensed films from...
- 1/22/2013
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Remember when Mike Lang came to Cannes with Rob Lowe to tout Miramax Films’ aspirations to freshen and expand the film library with new projects culled from the script arsenal they bought along with 700 titles in the $663 million Disney deal? The company, run by former Disney exec Richard Nanula for Colony Capital principal Tom Barrack, has lately been as quiet as you’d expect a library management company to be, especially since Lang got his walking papers (except for its unsuccessful run at Lionsgate). They’ve just announced two executive promotions, which was useful for me because I’d completely forgotten the company existed. Here’s the announcement: Santa Monica, CA – January 8, 2013 – Miramax, the independent studio with a renowned library of critically acclaimed films, today announced that Joe Patrick has been named executive vice president, Worldwide Television, and Beth Minehart has been named executive vice president, Global Digital, reporting to Miramax interim CEO Steve Schoch.
- 1/8/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
New York - Colony Capital, the private equity owner of the Miramax library, is in preliminary talks to acquire a stake in Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the Twilight series, Bloomberg News reported, citing people with knowledge of the situation. Photos: 'Twilight': Behind the Scenes of the Saga's First Film Colony, led by Tom Barrack, could buy a Summit stake currently owned by hedge fund Rizvi Traverse Management and others, it said. The companies, however, are also discussing a possible combination of Summit and Miramax that could leave Summit management in charge, according to Bloomberg. Lionsgate has also held talks about
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- 12/2/2011
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The studio had already said in October that it wants to refinance much of the debt taken on last December when investor Ron Tutor, and Tom Barrack’s Colony Capital, paid Disney $660M for Miramax. We just didn’t know how much it wanted to raise and where the cash would go. But Bloomberg says that two people “with knowledge of the situation” have disclosed that Miramax plans to sell asset-backed bonds that will enable the company to take advantage of today’s low interest rates and assume more debt. It also would be used to partly repay the investors. They initially put in $408M, now down to $308M, and would continue to keep $100M at Miramax. Colony would benefit from a $142M dividend. Miramax’s collateral would include its 700 films and 14 television series as well as rights to books and development projects. The company has been busily cutting digital licensing deals,...
- 11/18/2011
- by DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor
- Deadline TV
Miramax Films chief Mike Lang came into Cannes determined to dispel the notion that his backers handed $660 million over to Disney simply to manage a film library. Lang met me at the Majestic Friday alongside Rob Lowe, the strategic advisor and an investor in the Miramax deal, one of several he and Colony Capital’s Tom Barrack are planning. Lowe has taken an active hand in poring over a trove of screenplays left behind by Harvey and Bob Weinstein when they exited Disney to form The Weinstein Company. Lowe and Lang feel that the best of those scripts—50-75 of 650 are make-able. Fresh productions, coupled with a plan to soon hire an executive to spearhead film acquisitions and development, positions Miramax to make a content play that Lang and Lowe said will replenish the library and keep it viable. Describing the process of poring over projects that Disney didn’t...
- 5/14/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Exclusive: Just as Rob Lowe's autobiography Stories I Only Tell My Friends makes its debut this weekend at #3 on The New York Times Bestseller Lists, he has signed on to star in Knife Fight, a Bill Guttentag film that deals with the dark side of political operatives. Lowe, who played senior White House aide Sam Seaborn in The West Wing and California senator Robert McCallister in Brothers and Sisters, this time will star in the lead role of a political crisis specialist who plays hard and tough in dealing with various October campaign surprises. The picture is coming together with the plan to shoot in San Francisco in June for release in October, 2012 for the Presidential Election. The film's being put together independently through deluca films and Divisadero Pictures, with Mary Vernieu casting. Lowe will be in Cannes this week for Miramax business, alongside Colony Capital business partner Tom Barrack.
- 5/12/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
As expected, former News Corp exec Mike Lang was named CEO of the new Miramax Films now owned by construction magnate Ron Tutor and nm4015224 autoTom Barrack[/link]'s Santa Monica-based Colony Capital (led by former Disney CFO Richard Nanula), and Qatar Holding. Colony Capital's Nanula will be the key person picking a CEO and CFO from the usual roster of experienced movie executives. Barrack has said frequently that Miramax didn't want to end up hiring someone who'll use distribution as an "excuse" to go into production. "Because that would be disastrous."...
- 12/9/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
The Walt Disney Co's sale of Miramax Films to Filmyard Holdings for $663 million -- subject to certain adjustments -- has been completed, it was announced today by both companies. The actual owners are construction magnate Ron Tutor and nm4015224 autoTom Barrack[/link]'s Santa Monica-based Colony Capital (led by former Disney CFO Richard Nanula), and Qatar Holding. The deal includes rights in over 700 film titles, including Academy Award winners Chicago, Shakespeare in Love and No Country for Old Men. Also included are non-film assets, such as certain books, development projects and the "Miramax" name. Back on January 27th, Deadline was first to tell you that the Weinstein Brothers who founded Miramax in 1979 were trying to buy back the Miramax name, because it's based on their parents' first names -- Max and Miriam. The bros sold Miramax to Disney in 1993, but left behind the name and the library when they walked away...
- 12/3/2010
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline Hollywood
Exclusive The Walt Disney Company's sale of MIramax to a consortium led by L.A. billionaire Ron Tutor closed on Friday, TheWrap has learned. The $660 million purchase of one of Hollywood's most storied film libraries was completed at approximately noon, according to an individual with knowledge of the deal. The studio behind such Oscar winning hits as "Shakespeare in Love" and "Pulp Fiction" is under new ownership, and is now the property of Filmyard Holdings, a partnership between Tutor, Tom Barrack, and Colony Capital. Read also: The Real Miramax Price -- $600M A spokesperson for Colony...
- 12/3/2010
- by Brent Lang
- The Wrap
The $660 million sale of Miramax Films by Disney to Filmyard Holdings, the group led by construction exec Ron Tutor as well as Tom Barrack and his Colony Capital, was completed Friday, according to sources.
Disney and a spokesperson for Filmyard declined comment.
The new Miramax is likely to look a lot different than the old Miramax, which was a specialty producer and distributor, mostly of art films including Shakespeare in Love and exploitation product like Scary Movie.
The new Miramax is expected at least initially to focus on exploiting the library of more than 600 movies, many of which are already licensed around the world for theatrical and television for years to come.
That leaves electronic platforms to exploit, and Filmyard has been reported to have held talks with Google about making the library available via YouTube. It is also said to be in talks with Netflix about making its movies...
Disney and a spokesperson for Filmyard declined comment.
The new Miramax is likely to look a lot different than the old Miramax, which was a specialty producer and distributor, mostly of art films including Shakespeare in Love and exploitation product like Scary Movie.
The new Miramax is expected at least initially to focus on exploiting the library of more than 600 movies, many of which are already licensed around the world for theatrical and television for years to come.
That leaves electronic platforms to exploit, and Filmyard has been reported to have held talks with Google about making the library available via YouTube. It is also said to be in talks with Netflix about making its movies...
- 12/3/2010
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The $660 million acquisition of Miramax Films from Disney by Filmyard Holdings -- led by investors Ronald Tutor and Tom Barrack of Colony Capital -- remains on track to close by year's end. However, there's been a significant shift in financing.
Barclays Bank will lead a $250 million loan syndication, with Jefferies & Co. as co-lender. The pairing replaces Comerica, Union Bank and Bank of America as the financing's lead lenders; all three have exited the transaction.
Barclays and Jefferies have considerably less experience in Hollywood finance than do the three departing lenders.
Meantime, rumors abound about continuing disagreements about the valuation of Miramax's 611-title film library. Disney originally wanted a price close to $700 million, while most earlier investors valued the library at no more than $550 million.
Sources said Tuesday that the $660 million price will be reduced by about $50 million in cash on hand and existing sales contracts to license movies from the library worth more than $100 million.
Barclays Bank will lead a $250 million loan syndication, with Jefferies & Co. as co-lender. The pairing replaces Comerica, Union Bank and Bank of America as the financing's lead lenders; all three have exited the transaction.
Barclays and Jefferies have considerably less experience in Hollywood finance than do the three departing lenders.
Meantime, rumors abound about continuing disagreements about the valuation of Miramax's 611-title film library. Disney originally wanted a price close to $700 million, while most earlier investors valued the library at no more than $550 million.
Sources said Tuesday that the $660 million price will be reduced by about $50 million in cash on hand and existing sales contracts to license movies from the library worth more than $100 million.
- 11/9/2010
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The releases for "The Debt" and "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" have been delayed. The action thriller, which was originally scheduled for December 29 U.S. release, and the horror movie, which was supposed to be due January 21, 2011 in the U.S., are now pushed back to new dates which have not been determined yet.
The delay is caused by an unfinished deal at Miramax, which is going to be handed over from owner Disney to soon-to-be new owners, construction magnate Ron Tutor and nm4015224 autoTom Barrack[/link]'s Santa Monica-based Colony Capital. The transaction, however, won't be finalized until the end of the year or soon after.
The lagging deal happens because of "strictly logistical reasons" or what an insider calls as "standard practice in a deal of this magnitude," Deadline Hollywood reports. And as a result, both "The Debt" and "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" will not be...
The delay is caused by an unfinished deal at Miramax, which is going to be handed over from owner Disney to soon-to-be new owners, construction magnate Ron Tutor and nm4015224 autoTom Barrack[/link]'s Santa Monica-based Colony Capital. The transaction, however, won't be finalized until the end of the year or soon after.
The lagging deal happens because of "strictly logistical reasons" or what an insider calls as "standard practice in a deal of this magnitude," Deadline Hollywood reports. And as a result, both "The Debt" and "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" will not be...
- 10/12/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Deadline is reporting that the shifting in ownership for Miramax from Disney to Ron Tutor and Tom Barrack’s Santa Monica-based Colony Capital has caused a scheduling delay for two film until the deal is finalized at the end of the year or soon after because of “strictly logistical reasons.” The two films that are being delayed are The Debt which was suppose to be released on December 29th, and Guillermo Del Toro’s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark at the end of January. With both films postponed, no new release dates have been scheduled. This could...
- 10/12/2010
- by Michael Lee, LA Movie Examiner
- Examiner Movies Channel
Exclusive: I'm told that Miramax transaction between owner Disney and soon-to-be new owners, construction magnate Ron Tutor and nm4015224 autoTom Barrack[/link]'s Santa Monica-based Colony Capital (led by former Disney CFO Richard Nanula), won't be finalized until the end of the year or soon after because of "strictly logistical reasons". ("Standard practice in a deal of this magnitude," one insider tells me.) As a result, it has impacted two movies: The Debt, which was supposed to be released on December 29th, and Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark the end of January. Now both pics are postponed until parent company Filmyard, which is what Tutor and Barrack are calling their new film company umbrella over Miramax, takes over. No new dates have been set.
- 10/11/2010
- by Nikki Finke
- Deadline Hollywood
Ronald Tutor and Colony Capital want to make it clear that their $660 million acquisition of Miramax Films from Disney is moving forward.
In the wake of media reports this week that two minority investors had dropped out and that the deal might never close, the group behind the new Filmyard Holdings went public Thursday with more details of the financing.
"All of the equity required to complete the purchase of Miramax from Disney has been fully committed by Ron Tutor, Colony Capital and Tom Barrack," Filmyard said. "Recent published reports suggesting otherwise are incorrect. All aspects of the transaction are on track, and we anticipate a closing as planned prior to year's end."
Meanwhile, sources said that while it is true Jim Robinson of Morgan Creek is out of the deal, mulitmillionaire retired engineer Jerome Swartz is still among the minority investors.
The source also said the bank debt portion...
In the wake of media reports this week that two minority investors had dropped out and that the deal might never close, the group behind the new Filmyard Holdings went public Thursday with more details of the financing.
"All of the equity required to complete the purchase of Miramax from Disney has been fully committed by Ron Tutor, Colony Capital and Tom Barrack," Filmyard said. "Recent published reports suggesting otherwise are incorrect. All aspects of the transaction are on track, and we anticipate a closing as planned prior to year's end."
Meanwhile, sources said that while it is true Jim Robinson of Morgan Creek is out of the deal, mulitmillionaire retired engineer Jerome Swartz is still among the minority investors.
The source also said the bank debt portion...
- 9/2/2010
- by By Alex Ben Block
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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