More drama at Miramax. Is 'The Hobbit' cause of 'Butler' fight? - Los Angeles Times
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More drama at Miramax. Is ‘The Hobbit’ cause of ‘Butler’ fight?

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After the coffee. Before deciding whether to run for office in New York.

The Skinny: I’m pretty sure I have fewer skeletons in my closet than either Anthony Weiner or Eliot Spitzer so maybe I should throw my hat in the ring to be the next Manhattan borough president or at least chairman of Miramax. I know I have your support! Tuesday’s headlines include more drama at Miramax, the latest on the sale of Hulu and an interesting twist in the fight between the Weinstein Co. and Warner Bros. over the title of a movie.

Daily Dose: The Parents Television Council is expected to release a report later Tuesday detailing how television sexually exploits teenage girls. The analysis is a follow-up to a 2010 study the advocacy group did that charged that “real teens are led to believe their sole value comes from their sexuality.”

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Better than any movie. With its chairman Richard Nanula resigning in the wake of a sex scandal, there’s more action behind the scenes than there is on the big screen for indie movie producer Miramax. On Monday, Thomas J. Barrack Jr., founder of Colony Capital, which co-owns Miramax, said he was taking over for Nanula. Miramax, founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, was once known for its daring movies that always cleaned up during awards season. Now it is little more than a library. The Los Angeles Times on the latest hurdle for Miramax as it seeks to recapture its past glory.

PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times

Who wants Hulu? Satellite broadcaster DirecTV, Guggengheim Digitial Media and The Chernin Group are among the bidders still in the running for Hulu, the online video site co-owned by 21st Century Fox, Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. Time Warner Cable is also interested in Hulu, but rather than buy the company outright it wants to become a partner with the current owners. The latest on the Hulu sweepstakes from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

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More than a name change. 21st Century Fox, the new entertainment company that was formerly part of News Corp., is already shaking things up. In an internal restructuring, Twentieth Television, which sells reruns of prime time shows made by 20th Century Fox Television as well as creating shows for daytime TV, will now be housed under 20th Century Fox Television. It previously had been under the Fox Television Stations unit. This may seem like inside baseball but it is noteworthy because it represents more turf for Gary Newman and Dana Walden, the heads of 20th Century Fox Television. Details on the restructuring from the Los Angeles Times and Variety.

You talking to me? Martin Scorsese has been dragged into a legal battle between his fledgling producer daughter Catherine and film company Jumpview Entertainment over a movie the famed director made a cameo in called “Campus Life.” There’s not enough space here to go into the nitty gritty but the Hollywood Reporter has the details.

PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments

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Trading a butler for a hobbit? The Weinstein Co. and Warner Bros. are in a legal battle over the former’s desire to use the title “The Butler” for an upcoming movie. Warner Bros. holds the rights to that title and won’t cut a deal. The New York Post says Warner Bros. is playing hardball because it wants the Weinstein Co. to give up its small stake in “The Hobbit” franchise, which is produced by Warner Bros.’ New Line unit.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Ron Perlman stands out among all the monsters in “Pacific Rim.” A new ad campaign for Acura is good news for L.A.’s advertising community.

Follow me on Twitter and we will shock the world. @JBFlint.


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