Sunday, November 10, 2024

Amazon and Woody Allen Settle $68 Million Lawsuit Over Broken Contract to Release Four Movies

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Woody Allen and Amazon have settled their lawsuit to release four movies including “A Rainy Day in New York.” That one has made nearly $12 million in limited release abroad. I saw it last summer and liked it very much. It’s Woody’s best work since “Blue Jasmine.”

But Amazon freaked out two years ago when the #MeToo scandals broke and Woody was in appropriately lopped in with other predators. The accusations against never resulted in a legal situation, he wasn’t arrested or tried for anything. The accusations came in a custody case, were never proven. Unlike other men swept up in that scandal, Woody had one lone accusation, nothing else.

Amazon couldn’t the heat. They were in the midst of releasing his “Wonder Wheel,” which they abandoned, and then reneged on following through with the contract. “Rainy Day” was ready to go and they wouldn’t release it.

Since then, “Rainy Day” has been a success abroad and should be seen here. Woody made a new film this past summer in Spain with Chistoph Waltz and Gina Gershon. I’m sure he’s writing a new screenplay as we speak.

Woody did not marry his daughter or step-daughter. He married his girlfriend’s adopted daughter, who was over 21. They have now been together since 1992 and have two grown daughters. It is important to remember the facts. He’s a great filmmaker, one of America’s finest, and his work, his entire library, speaks for itself. I hope one day everyone in the US can see “Rainy Day” and enjoy it as I did.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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