Harvey Weinstein, a disgraced Hollywood film producer who was convicted of sex offences, cut short Good Will Hunting’s theater run in 1997 to ruin Robin Williams’ career, according Kevin Smith, the movie’s executive producers.
Smith, 51, revealed in his new book ‘Kevin Smith’s Secret Stash’ that Weinstein pulled the indie film from theaters just as it was gaining Oscar buzz, because Williams had negotiated a deal whereby he would rake in more of the profits if the movie grossed over $100 million.
Weinstein, a movie producer and actor, claimed that Miramax’s production company would have to split the profits of Williams’ 1997 hit. So Weinstein prevented the movie’s showing in theaters to retain the bulk of the box-office takings.
Good Will Hunting still managed to gross $225,000,000 in its original theater run, 25 times more than the $10 million budget.
Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Matt Damon were awarded an academy award for Best Original Screenplay.
Weinstein was also convicted of several sexual offences last year and sentenced at 23 years imprisonment. He was accused of harassment and sexual abuse by dozens of women including Salma Hayek, Gwyneth paltrow, and Rose McGowen.
Kevin Smith, actor and producer released a book titled “Kevin Smith’s Secret Stash” last month in which he claimed Harvey Weinstein was trying to ruin Robin Williams’ career by cutting his profits from Good Will Hunting.
Harvey Weinstein, founder and chief executive of Miramax Productions, allegedly cut Good Will Hunting’s theater run to prevent it from reaching $100 million. Smith claimed that Robin Williams had made a deal where he would get more of the profits if it reached $100 million. Weinstein was sentenced to 23 year imprisonment for several sex crimes.
Pictured: Robin Williams (left), and Matt Damon, (right), in character as Will Hunting and Dr Sean Maguire in 1997’s indie-hit Good Will Hunting. They won an Oscar for their roles.
Good Will Hunting still managed to gross $225,000,000 in its original theater run, 25 times more than the $10 million budget. Robin Williams won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor (pictured), while Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Matt Damon were awarded an academy award as Best Original Screenplay.
Good Will Hunting is a drama directed by Gus Van Saint in 1997 on a budget of just $10 million, which by Hollywood standards is incredibly small.
The indie film, whose screenplay had been written by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, earned more than $225 million at box office. It was nominated and won nine academy awards.
Smith was an executive producer on Good Will Hunting. He has since gone on to produce and star in a number of TV shows. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Smith spoke out about Weinstein’s attempt to stop Robin Williams’ career from taking off and to make a large profit on the film.
“I can remember when Good Will Hunting was leaving theaters. It was weird because it was like, “Wait?” There’s all this Oscar buzz. So why would you pull that if it was just making cash? He said.
“[Miramax and Weinstein]It was done because Robin would get more money if it was kept in theaters, while Robin wouldn’t be able to see the video of the split. It was hamstrung by greed.
Robin Williams was an actor and comedian who was widely acclaimed and well-known before his death in 2014.
He starred in films like Good Will Hunting and Dead Poet’s Society. He is widely regarded as one the greatest comedians ever. He is well-known for his extraordinary range of impressions, quick wit, and ability for improvisation.
Williams was found dead at his home in San Francisco in August 2014 aged 63, and it was later revealed that he had committed suicide.
The comedian and actor who was so beloved was known to struggle with depression. Lewy body dementia, a disorder that affects movement, behavior, and mood, was also a problem.
Robin Williams holds up his Oscar, after he won the Best Actor for a Supporting Role award at the 70th Academy Awards (23.03.1998) at the Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles. Williams won for his role as Dr Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting, where he helps a troubled math genius played Damon.
The indie film, which was written by Matt Damon (pictured holding their academy awards in 1998), grossed over $225,000,000 at the box-office.
Smith published his book, “Kevin Smith’s secret stash”, on September 14, 2021.
Styled as an autobiography-meets-trivia book, Smith tells the story of his journey from ‘convenience store worker to international film icon’, while revealing previously unknown stories, anecdotes and bits of trivia from the TV shows and films he has been involved with.
Miramax and Weinstein produced several Smith’s cult films, including ‘Clerks’, ‘Chasing Amelia,’ Jersey Girl,’ and ’Dogma.
Weinstein meanwhile co-founded the Miramax production company with his brother Bob in 1979, which went on to produce a litany of films including seven which grossed over $100 million at the box office such as Good Will Hunting and Chicago.
Weinstein was fired from the company in October 2017, after several women had accused him of harassment and sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s.
More than 80 women had made allegations against Weinstein by October 31, 2017. This triggered a three year legal process that resulted in the #MeToo movement, which saw many women, including celebrities, share their own stories of sexual assault, harassment, and rape via social media.
Weinstein was convicted last year of several sex offences and sentenced to 23 years in prison, and has an earliest possible release date of is earliest possible release date is November 9, 2039 according to Reuters.
Weinstein, the cofounder of Miramax’s movie production company, was last year convicted for several sex crimes and sentenced at 23 years imprisonment. This after dozens of women, such as Salmahayek, Rose McGowen and Gwyneth paltrow, had accused him of sexual abuse, harassment, and other sex crimes.