$2 Mil: Fox Spent on “Wall Street” in Cannes

Coming to Cannes with a film isn’t cheap. If you want to do it the right way, you’d better come with cash.

Or the profits from “Avatar.”

Sources tell me that 20th Century Fox has spent upwards of $2 million to promote “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” here this weekend.

That includes flying over Fox chiefs Tom Rothman and Jim Gianapolous (and presumably their families–who were all here), plus the cast starting with Michael Douglas, Josh Brolin (and presumably wife Diane Lane), Shia LaBeouf, Frank Langella, Carey Mulligan, and of course Oliver Stone–plus al the publicists, marketing and sales people, etc. 

And this is just the beginning. “WS2” doesn’t open until the fall. It will have premieres in New York and LA, and around the world. Stone may make some edit changes before then, which will necesitate critics seeing the movie again. And then there will awards promotion. Douglas, Stone, and Langella should all be in the mix. Also, the score of songs from David Byrne and Brian Eno.

But $2 mil just in Cannes? An insider notes that Fox chose to do all its publicity from the lavish and pricey Hotel duCap, a half hour away from Cannes. “They could have saved a lot of money doing all that stuff in town, at one of the hotels,” sniffs an observer.

Yes, but then life wouldn’t imitate art.  And Fox wouldn’t be able to spend all that “Avatar” money!

Is it worth it? The old aadage “You’ve got to spend money to make money” may apply. “WS2” should be a hit in the fall.