In 2014, Miramax pictures released Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, a sequel to 2005’s critically lauded and financially successful adaptation of Frank Miller’s iconic work, Sin City. Despite the return of director Robert Rodriguez, writer Frank Miller, and actors such as Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, and Bruce Willis, the film was a commercial failure, earning only $39.4 million against a budget of $65 million. However, according to documents obtained by entertainment news site The Blast, Harvey and Bob Weinstein stand accused of being responsible for the film’s financial failure.
According to a new lawsuit filed against both Weinstein brothers and producer David Glasser, A Dame to Kill For producers Sergei and Marina Bespalov allege that The Weinstein Company, after reaching an agreement with the Bespalovs to distribute the film, agreed to both not promote any other films around the release of A Dame to Kill For and contribute $25 million to advertisements for the film.
Yet, the Bespalov’s claim that in reality, The Weinstein Company was not only actively promoting the 2014 Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep film The Giver, but also that despite claims by The Weinstein Company that they had spent $30 million on advertising, the company only contributed $3 million.
The lawsuit alleges that these actions were done intentionally because The Weinstein Company had a financial stake in The Giver, but did not have any financial interests in A Dame to Kill For:
“Because defendants held a substantial personal interest in The Giver’s financial success, Defendants took action to make certain The Giver achieved a profitable distribution, even though doing so directly harmed Plaintiff’s film Sin City 2; a film in which Defendants had no financial interest”
The producers believe they are owed damages in lost profits and damaged reputation, and are seeking a currently undisclosed amount which they aim to determine at trial.
What do you make of their lawsuit against The Weinsteins? Do you think they have a case?