Warner Bros Honcho Decrees: No More Films With Female Leads

Deadline Hollywood Daily:

This comes to me from three different producers, so I know it's real: Warner Bros president of production Jeff Robinov has made a new decree that "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead". This Neanderthal thinking comes after both Jodie Foster's The Brave One (even though she's had big recent hits with Flightplan and Panic Room) and Nicole Kidman's The Invasion (as if three different directors didn't have something to do with the awfulness of the gross receipts) under-performed at the box office recently. "Can you imagine when Gloria Allred gets hold of this? It's going to be like World War III," one producer just told me. (I put in a call to Glo, who comments below.)

Read the whole story: Deadline Hollywood Daily

Comments

[notepad2]

" I was starting to wonder where all of the male stars and male groups had gone."

Males in lead roles isn`t politically correct.

[TakLoufer]

Well, that was a stupid remark.

The reason 'The Brave One" failed to be a boffo hit was because it comes at (sad to admit this) the tail-end of Jodie Foster's A-list movie career. This has happened to dozens of leading ladies -- including many equally-great actresses like Foster -- over the years, most recently Meg Ryan and soon Nicole Kidman. For some inane reason, once a woman hits 40 or her mid-40's, she becomes persona non gratis in Hollywood.

But a man, oh boy oh boy! Older guys like Jack Nicholson still open pictures, so do Harrison Ford, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, et al And of course we movie viewers just love to see them romping with leading ladies half their age --- NOT! It's a sick ego trip on the level of the revolving door to Donald Trump's bedroom where the wives keep getting younger as Mr Loofah-hair keeps pulling them in with his mega-bucks or perhaps the promise of a roll in the hay with his son.

Bring back Jessica Lange, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, and Angela Bassett. Any one of these gals can act circles around the new crop of bimbos.

[Alvin4NY]

Diane will always be an "in-demand" actress, and she just recently had the # 1 hit with "Something's Gotta Give" - and "The Family Stone" did ok following that. In fact, she's been in a few more since then, but I haven't seen them. First rate actress. Love her.

[Alvin4NY]

Because of the roles she chooses, as well as the integrity and commitment to her work, Jodie Foster will always be an "A" list actor, and a welcome addition to any production. Frankly, the same can be said of the other actresses you mentioned above. A lot of the reason you don't see them that often, has to do with how selective they are about the roles they take. Some will wait for a good script.

[IMORPHEUS]

As a male, I just have to say that this is one of the most assinine declarations from a Chief Executive of ANY company, that I've ever heard.

Instead of looking at market indicators or decisions involved in release dates, -which effect a film's success more than any other single factor outside of production-, this jackass blames the female leads.

Most of the titles listed, were released over the 'Summer blockbuster' months, where the mega-action thrillers, like 'Spiderman' or 'Fantastic Four' draw the big bucks. Then you have titles that are released at the end of the Summer season, that have to complete with the entertainment juggernaut, that is professional and college football and play-off baseball.

Every single one of these titles mentioned, would have been much better served by release dates any time between December 26th -following the Christmas Holiday, and leading up through 'Mother's Day' in May.

Quit blaming the performers for your piss-poor decision making...jackass.

[QuietAmerican]

Applause! Well said.

[Boobaloo]

Its not all women in leads that is the problem, its just certain women that no one pays to go see their stupid movies.

Nicole Kidman; no one has paid to see a movie she's starred in since Moulin Rouge and no one ever will.

Jodie Foster is amazing and I pay to see all of her movies, same goes with Julia Roberts. I went to see The Brave One and it is an intellegent story and satisfying right to the end of the movie; it was great.

Drew Barrymore is great but, it depends on who the male lead whether I pay to go see it or wait until it comes out on DVD.

Sandra Bullock is fantastic and I paid to see Premonition and it was worth every penny.

Salma Hayek is a goddess so is Natalie Portman.

There are many amazing female leads, the only problem is these producers keep hiring the same ones that no one cares about like Kidman and Naiomi Watts.

[MaciasJ]

Just thought I'd point out... both films were directed by males....

Maybe we should ban male directors as well? Just to be safe?

[mommadona]

Yesssssss yessssss.....let the ROBOTS do it....
~Ming the Merciless~
http://science.howstuffworks.com/military-robot.htm

[letsgetsmart]

I don't know. Over the last several decades, ladies have come on strong across the entertainment industries. I was starting to wonder where all of the male stars and male groups had gone. I guess things go in cycles. When I was young all there was were male stars and you had a hard time finding ladies in music. I guess everyone has a turn at what's currently hot. The two ladies mentioned have cashed their share of checks. Everyone seems to be me me now now. Why is every thing two sides and a fight? Relax people it will change around a number of times before you go in a box.

[nomdplume]

Interesting; Freedom of Speech and Capitalism is OK as long as It Doesn't Offend me!
Please, we are talking about a basic economic decision, nothing disparaging just simple economics. Not to mention the backlash in general against women entertainers. Perhaps if the media wasnt innundated with such artistic tour-de-forces such as Britney Spears, The View, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, and The Spice Girls Redux, there would be less wincing. Before I am labeled a misogynist kindly compare the top 3 (or most influencial) male and female actors/actresses, and 'musicians' of the last decade and see if there is quality equality.
Media is about money they sell what sells. Instead of complaining about something as inconsequential as who the media hero de jour is [all this during a time when innocent people are being slaughtered]; simply dont give your daughter or sons money to see that next movie. Switch from People to National Geographic. Replace Idol with Austen.

[Doug]

If female leads aren't delivering that's his choice to make.

[lisakaz]

And of course it couldn't possibly be anything else, huh?

[Doug]

That's not for you to decide.... unless you happen to a producer for WB.

It could be that films starring women don't work well with their productions. It could be that films starring women don't work well for their stories. What ever the reason, it's their choice to make.

[bethinCary]

And women and those same women who take thier kids to see fils can boycott Warner Bros as well thier amusement parks,tv shows, apparel....

[truthyguy]

Gloria Allred is a real piece of work.
She demonstrates that women can compete with men on an equal basis - unfortunately in her case the competition consists of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, who like Allred never met a microphone they would not speak into.

[Meah]

Wow. Let's just see how well you do when women stop paying for your ill conceived male oriented movies. It has more to do, I am sure, with they kind of movie that you produce. Warner Bros is not getting any more of my money. And by the way, stop making movies that put a female in a male role. Make a movie about women played by a woman. Oh yea, you don't want to do that. Putz!

[Trittydi]

And what about the movies that fail where there ARE male leads? No more male leads either, right? Effing Sexist Pig.

Man Coulter did say women shouldn't be allowed to vote (mentioned in another post here) - he said it last election cycle too. The Reconstructionist and Dominionist christian movememts - highly influentual in the GOP AND on the Supreme Court - have a declared goal of outlawing any and ALL birth control options to women - all of them. These people are clearly mentally ill - and I don't say that lightly.

Clearly there ARE plenty of men who feel this way - and they'll be under the "big tent" of the repiglican party - where only the Almighty White Christian Male is welcome- but when he gets there he'll find plenty of other unhappy men busy thumping their chests and having wet-dreams about submerging the US into their own version of the "dark ages" - where White christian men run the world again.
*

[BarnE]

Thank you, Jeff Robinov, for helping to kick off a damaging, pre-election fracas.

[BarnE]

Just in time to get Hillary's candidacy degraded by a stupid, artificial battle royale between the sexes.

[mommadona]

LYSISTRATA, GIRLS,
LYSISTRATA.

No bang for da buck.

http://drama.eserver.org/plays/classical/aristophanes/lysistrata.txt

[OneWoman]

I thought you would appreciate this one:

"Now days, 80% of women are against marriage, WHY? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage."

[micdago]

YAWN ...

Keep me awake, I mean appraised of this and other "who gives a fuck" news out of Hollywood.

Thanks.

[sigrid13]

OMG! I wondered if any idiots would be complaining about the "triviality" of this post.

This isn't a story about some Hollywood celebrity, it's a story about blatant discrimination; it's a story about blaming an entire gender for one's own stupid decisions...oh, is that why you're having trouble with it?

"who gives a fuck"? Half the population gives a fuck (just not to you apparently).

[Monette Monet]

Thank you for pointing out the importance of this news. I bet the president of the studio has a "big red sports car" too.
If women decided not to go to any Warner Brothers movie, I wonder how their gross receipts would fare? And I do mean "Gross Receipts." Is it just me or are racism and sexism making a blatant, and seemingly proud, return? Scary.