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Following a planned meeting this week with new Time Warner Chairman Jeff Bewkes, New Line Cinema founders Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne are expected to be terminated and New Line’s projects, including The Hobbit, folded into Warner Bros., L.A. Weekly columnist Nikki Finke reported on her Deadline Hollywood Daily blog Monday, citing no sources. With the exception of last year’s Hairspray, New Line has had a nearly uninterrupted string of financial failures since its Lord of the Rings franchise ran out.
Shit. This is not good news. The advantage to having The Hobbit at New Line would have been the support that Shaye and Co. always showed during production and promotion of LOTR. Warners is not exactly a hands-off operation.
*sigh* Oh well. At least we can be glad Wingnut is halfway around the world in New Zealand. That'll give them some protection from meddling suits, at least. That is, if the film gets a go. Everything's up in the air now until the dust settles.
ETA: Turns out to be a false rumor. SEE ICON.
Following a planned meeting this week with new Time Warner Chairman Jeff Bewkes, New Line Cinema founders Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne are expected to be terminated and New Line’s projects, including The Hobbit, folded into Warner Bros., L.A. Weekly columnist Nikki Finke reported on her Deadline Hollywood Daily blog Monday, citing no sources. With the exception of last year’s Hairspray, New Line has had a nearly uninterrupted string of financial failures since its Lord of the Rings franchise ran out.
Shit. This is not good news. The advantage to having The Hobbit at New Line would have been the support that Shaye and Co. always showed during production and promotion of LOTR. Warners is not exactly a hands-off operation.
*sigh* Oh well. At least we can be glad Wingnut is halfway around the world in New Zealand. That'll give them some protection from meddling suits, at least. That is, if the film gets a go. Everything's up in the air now until the dust settles.
ETA: Turns out to be a false rumor. SEE ICON.