In Miramax-Disney Divorce, Weinsteins Won't Get Children

by Steven Zeitchik, PW NewsLine -- Publishers Weekly, 2/1/2005

If high-powered Hollywood types argue over a publishing baby, how do you cut it? Right in half, at least according to the latest word coming out of Miramax.

The fate of Miramax Books--one of the footballs between Disney and the Weinstein brothers in the negotiation over their impending split--looks increasingly likely to bring an unlikely settlement.

When the pair finally sever ties, look for the imprint to cease existing as we currently know it. According to sources, the Weinstein brothers won't be buying the unit outright, as previous reports have speculated. Nor will they end up with the coveted children's line, which insiders say looks all but certain to go to Disney's children's unit.

But they may very well end up with a group of upcoming titles which they could publish in a new venture.

According to sources, the agreement would have all backlist titles going to Hyperion. Rights to books set for release between now and the beginning of October, when Disney's fiscal year ends, would also "be handled in some way" by Hyperion.

But a number of titles set for publication beyond October are still very much in play, and sources say some or all could possibly go with the Weinsteins--and with MB publisher Jonathan Burnham, who insiders think is more likely to join the brothers than stay on with Disney. (One potential title for this post-split group: Bernard Kerik's tome.) Insiders do say the deal isn't done yet and it's still possible some of those books could be cherry picked by Hyperion.

Miramax Books has a backlist which includes the likes of Madeleine Albright and Tim Russert, making for a lucrative egg for Hyperion. Still, the Disney publishing unit would, under the deal, have a sudden slate of books for spring and summer that its editors didn't sign up. Conspicuously in that in-between space: Rachel Pine's The Twins of Tribeca, regarded as a generally affectionate roman a clef about the Weinstein brothers. Extra editing, anyone?