After Harvey Weinstein‘s heinous crimes were uncovered in 2017 by a series of accusations from women whom the producer sexually abused across four decades, it’s understandable that film fans might want to stay away from his movies.
Given the sheer scope of the disgraced producer’s involvement in Hollywood, not watching any of the movies that his different production companies were involved in could prove to be not just difficult, but deeply unfortunate. Miramax and The Weinstein Company produced and distributed some of the greatest works in the modern age of cinema, and, for film lovers, having to give up on a film made by an extensive crew for the actions of one man might feel unfair. As the saying goes: one bad apple spoils the bunch.
A sample of the movies made or distributed by Miramax include Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Paris Is Burning, The Piano, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Gangs of New York, and a handful of Quentin Tarantino movies. Harvey and Bob Weinstein then left Miramax in 2005 to found The Weinsten Company, which gave us movies like The King’s Speech, The Artist, Silver Linings Playbook, The Imitation Game, Carol, and some more Tarantino titles. The massively successful Yellowstone series was also produced by The Weinstein Company in its first season.
As production companies, Miramax and The Weinstein Company were the main profiteers from the movies they made. As distributors, they were still entitled to a cut of the commercial and box office revenue. Anything that Bob and Harvey Weinstein touched, as executive producers or distributors, generated a lot of money straight into their pockets for decades.
In 2022, beIN Media Group owns half of Miramax, with Paramount Global making up the other half. Lionsgate owns most of The Weinstein Company’s catalog. But, what does this mean regarding Harvey Weinstein’s earnings every time you stream, rent, or buy one of his former movies?
Despite the fact that Weinstein left Miramax in 2005, and was fired from The Weinstein Company in 2017, experts believe he is still making money as a profit participant in every movie where he is credited as producer or executive producer. According to IMDB, Harvey Weinstein has 330 producer credits, 4 actor credits, 2 writer credits, and a few more in other departments.
In a 2017 article, Mashable‘s Josh Dickey spoke to “multiple entertainment attorneys, former Weinstein associates, current film executives and company reps” who all agree that the convicted sex offender has to still be making money out of some, if not all of his movies.
Weinsten no longer owns any part of Miramax or The Weinstein Company, so he’s probably not making money out of either company’s newer productions or any of the deals Paramount Global and Lionsgate make going forward. However, as a credited producer, and an astute businessman who was known for looking out for himself, the man who is now in prison for terrorizing dozens of women in the film industry is almost definitely still making money every time one of his movies is bought or rented.
It might not be much, but as Dickey argues, given the success of his catalog, when it all adds up, it’s still a considerable sum.
Of course, Harvey Weinsten has assets spread across the globe from investments he made during the height of his career, but he has also lost millions in civil lawsuits, and will likely continue to lose money, despite the pennies-a-piece he earns every time any of us buys one of his movies.
The disgraced producer is currently on trial in Los Angeles for 11 counts of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual battery. He is already serving 23 years in prison (of which he has completed two) for one count of sexual assault and one count of rape.