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So just days after dumping a pic with his one-time producing partner Steven Soderbergh, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Amy Pascal has done a deal with George Clooney and his other producing partner Grant Heslov. My question is: why? Pascal swore off making movies just for the masturbatory sake of winning Oscar nominations after Sony went through hell on All The King’s Men and came up empty. “You need to look no further than Sony’s track record with A-list talent like Adam Sandler and Will Smith to answer your question of why,” a Sony exec tells me. 
“Amy, Michael, Matt and Doug will work closely with George and Grant to develop the kind of material we all believe makes sense for Sony and its multilabel distribution strategy. Sony has Columbia, Screen Gems and Classics allowing for different kinds of films for different audiences.” Oh, puh-leeze. Clooney can’t open a film as an actor unless he’s in an ensemble. And as a writer and director and producer, he’s not a moneymaker. (Looking at his films in development, I predict there’s not a $20 million opening weekend among them at a time when the average marketing cost of studio fare is $30M-$50M.) Believe me, if he were generating decent grosses, Warner Bros would have wanted to hang onto him. So Warner’s gain is Sony’s loss.
CULVER CITY, Calif., June 30, 2009 – George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures are in final negotiations to sign an exclusive two-year theatrical development and production deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment, it was announced today by Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Picture Entertainment and Chairman of the studio’s Motion Picture Group.
Commenting on the announcement, Clooney said, “Warner Bros. has been a great place to work and I’ve felt like part of a family for almost 20 years. So in moving on, I’m leaving a terrific company and a lot of dear friends. They’re a class act. In looking ahead, I’m tremendously excited to be working at Sony Pictures, and we all feel like it’s a perfect match for Smokehouse. Grant Heslov and I hope to deliver the kind of films that will make them proud.”
“We admire and respect George and Grant as filmmakers and producers and we couldn’t be more excited to be in business with them and their talented team at Smokehouse Pictures,” said Pascal. “The broad range of quality projects they have championed and the compelling and sometimes provocative material they support says everything about their company and their creative aspirations. While we have been trimming production deals overall for the last few years, we see real value in opening our doors to producers with their critical and commercial track record and their artistic point of view, and we know they will be a fantastic addition to the Sony Pictures family.”
“My nine year relationship with Warner Bros. was extremely gratifying and now, George and I look forward to Smokehouse being a part of the Sony family,” Heslov said.
The Smokehouse Pictures team includes Senior Vice President of Development Nina Wolarsky, and creative executive Alex Meenehan. The company is currently in development on the following projects with Warner Bros:
THE CHALLENGE
Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. An adaptation of Jonathan Mahler’s nonfiction book chronicling the historic Supreme Court case in which two lawyers sued the Bush administration on behalf of accused terrorist Salim Hamdan.
OUR BRAND IS CRISIS
A satirical comedy about American spin doctors competing in the same Presidential election in Bolivia. Based on the documentary by Rachel Boynton, with a script by Peter Straughan (MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS).
FARRAGUT NORTH
An adaptation of Beau Willimon’s critically acclaimed play, set during the Iowa primary of a presidential race.
ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN
The true story of how the CIA used a fake movie project to smuggle hostages out of 1979 Tehran. Chris Terrio is writing the screenplay.
THE TOURIST
A contemporary spy thriller about a spy who risks everything to reveal a conspiracy after he’s accused of a murder he didn’t commit. Based on the bestselling book by Olen Steinhauer. Tony Peckham is writing the screenplay.
THE INNOCENT MAN
Based on the bestselling nonfiction book by John Grisham, the true story of murder and injustice in a small town in Oklahoma. Adapted by David Gordon Green.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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George isn’t a star no matter how much his publicist babbles otherwise. Just another shining example of Hollywood trying to ram someone down the audience’s throats. George can’t act and he doesn’t even look good anymore thank to his out of control boozing and whoring. Thanks Nikki for posting the projects that he has in development. Further proof that the guy is out of touch. They all sound about as appealing as a colonoscopy.
dear enough is enough,
Jimmy Stewart had just won an Academy Award but gave it all up and forced his way into hugely dangerous combat missions over Nazi Germany. When that guy talked about going to war (which was rare) he really had put his life and career where his mouth is and earned total respect.
John Wayne on the other hand, what a classic “do as I say not what I do” Republican in the Bush mold. He was a war-mongering asshole who didn’t join up to fight the true axis of evil because he was worried about losing momentum in his acting career. Never use John Wayne as an example of a model American – he was a coward and a hypocrite.
As a liberal I happily say that this country needs more Republicans like Jimmy Stewart – and less like you; the the John Wayne type who think that any, like Clooney, who happen to not blindly follow Bush, are America “haters”.
Hey, I like George Clooney. Some of his movies have been quite compelling and very, very good.
But… he cannot carry it on his own. He makes an ensemble cast work well, and he workes well in an ensemble cast. There is NO shame in that. In fact, it is QUITE refreshing!
His message films I enjoy, but they will never make a LOT of money to justify a studio putting out $30 – $50 million. But if he can make a film for under $20 million, he will be very bankable with Sony.
We’ll just have to see what happens.
Good luck George!
Gee, when I read the press release, it’s pretty clear to me those projects are still in development “WITH WARNER BROS.” They are not part of Clooney’s deal with Sony.
whatever, haters – although mr big is being overly optimistic about ‘billions’ i kind of agree – this dude’s movies will run and run – watch ‘michael clayton’ again – that shit will become a cast iron classic in a few years, and clooney is the key. it’s easy to hate but the guy should have gotten an oscar for that performace – awesome. seriously. i’d rather watch him that any of the current crop of ‘leading men’ – because the guy is just that, a man rather than a kid – hell, i liked star trek but jesus, that ship was like a kindergarten version of the real thing.
Woody Allen can’t open a picture either, but most of his films have something to say, and make good use of time and characters. About the same can be said for Clooney. He’s solid, and his films usually have something worth remembering. Not everyone is a hit, but then most big hits are shallow and mindless.
How this stiff ever gets movies made is laugh. He’s a creative dud, but boy can he play the politics of Hollywood. What a hack.
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Totally agree. The only movies of his that have made any money or been entertaining have been the Oceans movies. And we all know that wasn’t because of him. Clooney is just an older more sophisticated Ben Affleck. But they’re still the same pompous, blowhard who thinks they’re the smartest ones in the room. All Clooney production company does is make vanity projects for Clooney. Right there is the problem. The Good German anyone? Leatherheads? Rumor Has It? Confessions of A Dangerous Mind? Nuff said. He did next to none pr/press for Burn After Reading which was smart. You can only take Clooney is small, very small dosages.
Dixon Steele
Seriously man, READ the post. I have ZERO bitterness. What’s done is done. What’s interesting to me is WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW. Did you READ THE POST? Do you literally understand what it says and what it means? It’s not about “winning” – it’s about the changes that are taking place and HOW the actor is being factored into them. Again, same old shit: SUBSTANCE? – doesn’t matter – “you LOST, you LOSER, stop bitching.” Ha – ha!”
READ the post. READ the general consensus from LAWYERS on the “sunset clause.” You can look at “numbers” till the fucking moon turns green dipshit, if there’s no force of law in the sunset clause (there’s not – PLEASE understand that before you dismiss it)then the suits will use it in ANY WAY THAT SUITS THEIR PURPOSE. Do you understand that? Seriously, answer that question: do you understand the sunset clause MEANS nothing because it FORCES the AMPTP BY LAW to DO NOTHING?
So, are you saying you’ll strike in 2011, if the “numbers” look bad?
Guess what? the “numbers” are gonna “look” TERRIBLE.
I got news for you you useless sack of shit – you won’t strike – EVER. And you KNOW it! Just admit it!
This is JUST the beginning melon-head. The news is gonna go straight into the shitter from here for the SAG actor – you watch. And YOU can say, “with pride” – “I voted for that!”
Jesus Christ…
Example number 4,578 for Dixon Steele 9and others). Can’t wait for those “numbers” folks
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Darren Burrows:
Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:00 pm
AT&T finished running their new fiber-optic lines through my neighborhood about four months ago so I switched over to their U-verse from TW cable. The way the AT&T tech explained it to me this is how my house is set up. With my single settop box I can DVR anything from my TV or any computer or laptop anywhere and watch playback on any set in the house. With the exception of actual “live” TV I can also fast forward, pause and replay through any show that I’m am watching. When I asked the AT&T tech how that was possible he expained to me that I’m really not “DVR’ing” anything. AT&T has all of the programing made available to them by the various stations, channels, distributors, what have you, pre-air date/time. They download it all to their remote server and play it back for me. The tech also said when I DVR something I’m really not recording anything. I’m just reserving a playback of programing of a certain time period. Basically, it’s all already coming to me over my high speed Internet line, so … If CBS is already coming to my TV set via the Internet, is it even broadcast television anymore? And how long before they call it what it is “Internet Content” and start paying even those residuals as such?… How long before we are negotiating our top of the show/weekly/daily rates on an individual basis because the SAG Television contracts are obsolete?…
@Independent Observer
Absolutely brilliant. Nothing about Clooney’s work is “smart” or “grown-up”; its staid, boring, repetitive and self-gratifying. Its not art, its an oversized ego let loose. Sure his work is directed at “adults” – old, pseudo-intellectual Miltons who think they’re smart because they got in the Camary and went down to the local exurb cineplex to take in the latest Clooney pic. (Cue old men googling “Miltons”)
And Christ is he a lousy actor. He employs the same tick-and-smirk delivery style in every single part he plays (except for “O Brother”, where he tried to break with his schtick to laughable results).
Some very valid points here including Mulhern’s, so Dixon quit your whining.
Clooney has been forced to think ahead of the game, however, it was not in the best interest of his fellow actors, specifically with regards to the SAG vote. His move to Sony is shocking to me, too. One has to wonder if WB kindly “let him go” or if he decided to make the switch on account of the trends in technology, in which Sony is ahead of the game. We all knew these changes were coming. The studios just forced it into effect quicker than we imagined, but then, what was SAG doing two years ago when the studios publicly announced that they were ending the residuals structure? And why didn’t SAG sit down early at the negotiating table when people like Clooney urged them to? You see, this is a multi-faceted problem in which every person is pretty much scrambling to take care of only themselves. And those who are more unified in taking care of one another are slowly finding out it’s all in vain. I am a SAG actress with 10 years under my belt, and though not vested yet, without unification from my union, it wouldn’t have mattered anyways. If we have turn-coat members of all walks who don’t think my future is worth having, why should I put more credibility into my union? George may have endorsed this vote, but thousands of assholes signed it into effect. All my vested friends will have nothing to collect in the next 10, 15, and 20 years. It’s gone. And I think people like George saw it coming long ago, especially after AFTRA’s near-bankruptcy from the 2000 stock market. I am not at all justifying his push for a “yes” vote on that shit sandwich of a contract, but then, people like him and Hanks know exactly what’s going on and they decided to line their own pockets before the piggy bank plunked out it’s last quarter.
I am inclined to think that his move to Sony was to get a bigger piece of the pie in terms of technology, especially if Warner’s isn’t fairing so well financially. If I remember correctly, they let go of a lot of employees this year. If it seems the studio is starting to crumble, why stay?? Only time will tell if it was a smart move or a very foolish one. He has unfortunately made some doozies of decisions in the last year or two … the skank he pretended was his “girlfriend”, going financial core at WGA over a writing credit on “Leatherheads”, his endorsement over the SAG contract. But he still has FAN value and they’re not abandoning him. His movie choices are solid and smart – they’re just not big box office draws. But the box office may soon be a thing of the past anyways. I think that Sony is definitely more international, and George, whether or not he’s a box office draw, definitely makes more of a killing (especially internationally) from DVD sales and rentals …. so he’s not awash as some of you seem to think. My fear of it all is akin to what’s happening with Michael Jackson’s money. Sony has some major puppet strings attached to their stars and their fortunes. Granted, Jackson was in the music industry, but the larger the giant the larger it’s teeth. I happen to think Warner’s was a little more family-like. I shudder to think what would happen to George and his career if Sony just decided they were done with him. But again, this use ‘em and lose ‘em mentality amongst the studios is ever-growing and I think it’s every man for himself now.
So Matt, while I agree with you whole-heartedly, did any of us stand a chance given the AFTRA wolves in sheeps’ clothing and did our union not need a major overhaul anyways, given the amount of numbskulled members in it that don’t even open up their envelopes to vote??
This is definitely the time to start becoming your own producer on things and looking out for yourselves. Because, sadly, no one else is ultimately looking out for you and I am beginning to doubt that SAG was ever looking out for me. Not with some much divisiveness, it wasn’t. It’s the stars, naturally, who are reaping the most from it, but chances are the turnover of star talent at the studios is going to go into warp speed. The fickle industry has just become more fickle. I mean, come on … William Morris and Endeavor. Who would have “thunk” it 10 years ago?
I hope, as a fan of George’s, that this is not spelling the end of his career. But if he made the decision entirely on his own, that’s his business. The right studio can make all the difference. Just ask Gloria Stewart.
Smokehouse doesn’t seem to hire women screenwriters. What is the deal? I thought George and Grant were more evolved than that. I guess they are like everyone else in Hollywood.
Clooney’s career is over; it was official when he got his Oscar in the Gold Watch category.
Of course, maybe Sony will just string him along, keeping him busy playing villain roles in Spider-Man 5 and Hancock 3 while his agitprop films slowly die.
Next time, Nikki Finke, try to hide the fact you can’t stand George Clooney for whatever reason (Did he deny you an interview ?) a little better. Your hate towards him becomes quite boring and so obvious…
Yeah, I gotta say…either bash the tentpole-makers or bash the folks making smart movies, but not both. Most of the Clooney-haters on this blog were trashing Transformers last week. Maybe Clooney’s movies skew political, maybe they’re a litte overly issue-oriented for some people’s taste, but thank God a handful of people and a studio or two are still willing to produce cinema that doesn’t rely on hourlong explosions and gigantic alien robots.
Clooney sucks !!!!!!!!!!!! his movies are un-watchable.
Ellen is going to be so sad now that George will be gone.
“Thank christ I don’t live next door to Ellen anymore”.
You guys are a joke. Clooney has no box office appeal. He’s can’t open a movie, without a strong ensemble. Warners was smart, Sony is lame. Clooney is not a star.
As well, when did Sony become a studio that makes movies for under 20 million. NOT. Seven Pounds, went from this awesome script, very small, type of movie, to a 90 million dollar flop.
His movies are like watching old people eat…..
I liked the concepts on that whole list of movies. And I love Sorkin dialogue. I wouldn’t watch them all in a row, because there is some overlap. Clooney does do best in ensembles, but why on earth would that be a negative?
Even as a huge Clooney fan I couldn’t say I was that surprised by this move. Warners wanted to keep Clooney but offered him a lower deal seeing as Smoke House hasn’t actually made a single film for the studio yet.
Sony saw that Clooney was potentially ‘on the table’ so they made a bigger offer to try and make themselves look relevant in attracting talent. Who do Sony have of note on the lot except for Will Smith (admittedly the biggest player in town), Sandler and Original Films?
I suspect that Clooney may be similar to a drunken purchase from QVC for Sony. Excited at the time but when it actually turns up you don’t know what to do with it or where to put it.
If Warners couldn’t convince Clooney to star in some ‘broad audience’ fare what chance do Sony have? The first script puchase that Smoke House make at Sony will be fascinating. If it’s some tired rom-com nonsense then you know that Clooney is at least considering doing something with ‘broad reach’.
If not, it’s business as usual and Clooney will have a hit…with one of the projects he set up at Warners.
“They look like great films that the ever dumbed-down American public won’t comprehend.” – nyguy
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I am so tired of Hollywood blaming their failures on a mythical dimwitted audience. If nobody wants to see a movie about “the historic Supreme Court case in which two lawyers sued the Bush administration on behalf of accused terrorist Salim Hamdan,” it isn’t because they’re dumb, it’s because they aren’t in a coma. And don’t want to pay good money to be put in one.
Thanks for telling it like it is. “The last movie star” my ass. I’ve been saying for years that the only thing Clooney can open is a bottle of vodka. His last 4 money-making movies have co-starred Brad Pitt. His last 3 movies without Pitt – The Good German, Michael Clayton and Leatherheads – made a grand total of $135 million WORLDWIDE. Yet the movies cost somewhere around $120 million to make and marketing probably, especially with that hardcore Michael Clayton Oscar push, probably cost somewhere in the $80 million range. So you’re looking at $200 million in expenses and $135 million in grosses. Call me crazy, but ditching the guy sounded like a good move for Warner Brothers and underscores the stupidity of the Columbia/Sony deal. Clooney is the male Jennifer Aniston – can’t open a movie on their own, yet for some reason they keep getting cast in movies or getting funding to make their next bomb.
HelenofPeel is exactly correct; Clooney is a good bet on any movie he can deliver for $20 million or less. For films like that, his compensation should be in the one to two million dollar range, which is still an insane amount of money.
Past that, he should make five or ten million as part of the cast for something like the Ocean films. Past that…well, nothing. That’s what his track record justifies.
“Woody Allen can’t open a picture either, but most of his films have something to say, and make good use of time and characters.”
Again, that’s exactly right. Assuming Clooney is willing to make movies for the sorts of budgets that Allen works with these days, he is a good bet. And I expect he will get a lot of movies made as long as he is realistic about that fact.