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Newsweek reports that it seems no major studio wants to touch Mel Gibson's latest film, The Passion, a controversial movie about Jesus' death that has inspired more hostile attention than any movie in recent history. "It's not worth the aggravation," says a studio head. "Even if it makes money, it's not going to be 'Titanic.'" Studios are worried about protests, hate mail and boycotts. "Even if it doesn't deserve it," says another film executive, "it's going to be used as a political football."
Gibson's company, Icon Productions, did not seek out buyers for the film, but waited to see which suitors came knocking. The studios didn't, apparently. Icon did get interest from small, independent companies without public shareholders or other assets, like music companies and theme parks, that could be hurt by boycotts or protests. Companies "that have nothing to lose," as one executive puts it. The top contender now appears to be Newmarket, which released Memento. They have made a formal bid, but will not confirm if they have seen the film. Two higher-profile independents, Lions Gate and Miramax, have expressed interest in the film and have asked to see it. They have yet to be invited. The film could prove problematic for Miramax, as its parent company, Disney, dislikes controversy.
Some studio executives point to the last controversial movie about Christ as a case in point. In 1988, Universal released Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, which proposed that Christ was plagued with the same doubts and appetites as normal men. The movie was met with outrage. "There were millions of letters written and 25,000 people marched on Universal," says Tom Pollock, then a top exec at the studio. "There were death threats against my chairman, myself and Marty Scorsese. There was security in our lives for years." And the movie made only $8.4 million.
Gibson's camp would not comment about the potential sale, beyond saying it could happen in the "near term." It's possible, though remotely, that Icon, which distributes most of Gibson's films in the U.K. and Australia, may opt to put The Passion in U.S. theaters itself. Meanwhile, the press surrounding the film -- in particular a New Yorker profile that delineated Gibson's rigid religious beliefs-has done some damage to his reputation. While he remains one of the most bankable stars in history, his occasionally strident public statements have not played well in an industry predominantly liberal and significantly Jewish. "People think Mel's crazy now," says one top producer. Adds a studio head, "People feel like his character in 'Lethal Weapon' isn't that far from who he is. It's like, 'Wow, he's way out on a limb'."
Gibson's company, Icon Productions, did not seek out buyers for the film, but waited to see which suitors came knocking. The studios didn't, apparently. Icon did get interest from small, independent companies without public shareholders or other assets, like music companies and theme parks, that could be hurt by boycotts or protests. Companies "that have nothing to lose," as one executive puts it. The top contender now appears to be Newmarket, which released Memento. They have made a formal bid, but will not confirm if they have seen the film. Two higher-profile independents, Lions Gate and Miramax, have expressed interest in the film and have asked to see it. They have yet to be invited. The film could prove problematic for Miramax, as its parent company, Disney, dislikes controversy.
Some studio executives point to the last controversial movie about Christ as a case in point. In 1988, Universal released Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, which proposed that Christ was plagued with the same doubts and appetites as normal men. The movie was met with outrage. "There were millions of letters written and 25,000 people marched on Universal," says Tom Pollock, then a top exec at the studio. "There were death threats against my chairman, myself and Marty Scorsese. There was security in our lives for years." And the movie made only $8.4 million.
Gibson's camp would not comment about the potential sale, beyond saying it could happen in the "near term." It's possible, though remotely, that Icon, which distributes most of Gibson's films in the U.K. and Australia, may opt to put The Passion in U.S. theaters itself. Meanwhile, the press surrounding the film -- in particular a New Yorker profile that delineated Gibson's rigid religious beliefs-has done some damage to his reputation. While he remains one of the most bankable stars in history, his occasionally strident public statements have not played well in an industry predominantly liberal and significantly Jewish. "People think Mel's crazy now," says one top producer. Adds a studio head, "People feel like his character in 'Lethal Weapon' isn't that far from who he is. It's like, 'Wow, he's way out on a limb'."