Miramax Shuttering Will Give It All up To Hyperion

by Steven Zeitchik, PW NewsLine -- Publishers Weekly, 3/10/2005

The Miramax Books spoils have officially been divided up among the winners. Or winner. As we reported in January, both the backlist and the frontlist through September will be absorbed into Hyperion. Now sources are saying that the frontlist beyond September will be handled by the house as well instead of leaving with the brothers Weinstein as the basis of a new company--and ending Miramax Books as we know it. And children's books will, as previously reported, become part of Disney Publishing Worldwide.

Until several weeks ago insiders said that Hyperion and the Weinsteins might work out a split for the frontlist scheduled for beyond September. By Monday, when Jonathan Burnham took the job as HarperCollins publisher it became clear that the brothers Weinstein were unlikely to start a new company anytime soon. Hyperion and Disney are reportedly seeking ways to find positions for the roughly 6-10 employees still at Miramax Books.

Miramax Books was born in the turn-of-the-century buzz about Buzz, co-founder Tina Brown's philosophy that celebrities can and should be explored seriously. It ended up becoming something rather different: a frontlist-driven house with a mix of celebrity, political, and literary-minded nonfiction. In its latter years, Miramax even found success with novels, particularly Plum Sykes' Bergdorf Blondes.

Still no word on whether Jonathan Burnham will be taking any of his MB authors with him; while there are reports of Tim Russert shopping a new book, insiders point out that the house was largely driven by singular titles as opposed to franchisable authors. Hyperion did not return a call for comment by press time. A Miramax corporate spokesperson declined to comment.