For the Weinsteins, entertainment has always been a family affair. Brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein began their careers in Buffalo, New York, producing independent rock concerts with their friend Corky Burger. When the Weinsteins started up their independent film company in 1979, they named it Miramax after their parents, Miriam and Max Weinstein. Their first major hit was also a music-themed filma distillation of two British benefit concerts that was called The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball (1982).In the 1980s and early 1990s, Miramax became a haven for a number of innovative directors, including Steven Soderbergh, Peter Jackson, Pedro Almodovar, Neil Jordan, and, in the studio’s first big hit, Quentin Tarantino with his film Pulp Fiction.The Walt Disney Company purchased Miramax in 1993 for 80 million. While the Weinstein brothers operated the company independently of Disney’s other properties, Disney still vetoed a number of films that the brothers picked up, including Michael Moore’s political documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 and Kevin Smith’s comedy Dogma. Ultimately, in 2005 the brothers packed their bags and headed out on their own once again to found a new company, this time known simply as The Weinstein Company (TWC).TWC’s first releases in 2005 were:

  • Derailed, a thriller with Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen
  • Transamerica, a road-trip film starring Felicity Huffman and Kevin Zegers
  • Hoodwinked, an animated action-comedy based on Little Red Riding Hood
  • Mrs Henderson Presents, a British comedy set during World War II
  • The Matador, starring Pierce Brosnan as an off-kilter assassin

The company also releases films under its Dimension label, which they retained from their founding of Miramax. Mainly horror films are released on this label, including Wolf Creek, Pulse, Feast, Black Christmas, and The Mist. However, other genre films like Robert Rodriguez’s The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. Most recently, TWC has teamed up with Miramax to develop potential sequels to some of their earlier hits, with possibilities including Cop Land, From Dusk till Dawn, Swingers, and The Amityville Horror. Currently, sequels to Rounders, Bad Santa, and Shakespeare in Love are all confirmed.