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UTA has been Wes Anderson’s longtime home ever since the agency’s chairman Jim Berkus signed him off of that cult classic 1994 short, Bottle Rocket. Two years later, Anderson turned the short into his breakout feature debut with Berkus’ help. In fact, Berkus helped the infamously quirky filmmaker put together all of his films, including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, and his current The Fantastic Mr. Fox. I’m told the motive Anderson’s exit was Anderson’s unhappiness with that pic’s performance at the box office — which may have little to do with Berkus and more to do with Anderson. But that’s the agency biz. I’m told Anderson now will be repped by WME’s Robert Newman.
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Berkus is like Jim Wiatt and those guys are done. It’s a Bryan
Lourd/Ari Emanuel world now.
FANTASTIC MR. FOX is a smart, funny, innovative movie. People seem to forget how INFLUENTIAL Wes Anderson has been to so many filmmakers! Every year we see a bunch of small, independent comedies that look like Wes Anderson lite. He’s the real deal. Can’t wait to see what he can do now with a better agent.
The history of UTA has always been losing great manpower because the partners can’t stand each other and never could. Aloni took their bread and butter director business with him, Lesher took most of their indy filmmakers to WME, and then Sharon Sheinwold and Nick Stevens took the comedy business with them.
Anderson can’t blame his agent for making a movie nobody wants to see. Unless his agent didn’t tell him, “it might be a bad idea to put jokes about existentialism in a kid’s movie.” How many chances is Anderson going to get before people realize that he is a one trick pony and a director without wide appeal.
Wes Anderson is a special talent. Why should he live in the real world? The great artists don’t. Never have. That is why their voice is unique and personal. UTA is a terrific agency and supportive of new talent. The agencies are all the same. Wes Anderson makes his own decisions at this point and guides his own career. UTA helped him when he needed the help. The next phase is up to him.
UTA has a zillion partners and still is letting the dino Berkus run things – and worse yet, be point on something? Just as Ari E. has managed to present himself as younger, hipper Hwood (along w. Whitesell of course, the queen piece to the king one) and CAA still represents stablitiy, what does UTA represent? Or even ICM? At least looking at the 2nd tiers, w. the exception of Paradigm, are making ‘images’ for themselves that creatives can see.
Loved Fantastic Mr. Fox. Anderson is a great writer and director. He needed a change.
You are all incredibly fucked up people. Jim Berkus is a fantastic man who is incredibly intelligent. Let’s see one of you build one of the most successful talent agencies from the ground up. You all are stupid low-lives with nothing to do but bash on people who are simply better than you.