Warner Bros. Denies Nikki Finke’s ‘No Women in the Lead’ Report

Of course, there’s no way any respectable movie house would let a report go unanswered about it not wanting women to take the lead in its films. As expected, Warner Bros. has fired back and says it is still committed to women.

On Oct. 5, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily reported that Warner Bros. president of production Jeff Robinov said the company is “no longer doing movies with women in the lead”. On Oct. 9, Variety reported:

Warner production prexy Jeff Robinov insists he is moving forward with several movies with women in the lead. Indeed, he is offended by rumors of his cinematic misogyny.

[While] action features starring women remain a hard sell for many moviegoers, Robinov [says] he is still willing to put a femme star into an action role.

“Like any other movie, it has to be the right movie with the right actor and the right filmmaker at the right time,” he said.

The optimistic read from Karina Longworth of Spout.com is that “Warner Bros. is taking a conscious step away from producing movies like ‘The Invasion’ and ‘The Reaping’ that bleed money, misuse high-caliber talent, embarrass just about everyone and please almost no one.” While Finke hasn’t yet responded, you know she will.

10:08 p.m. update: Alas, here is that expected response. It’s a good read of what happened behind the scenes.

Despite Kidman Talent, ‘The Invasion’ Whittles Down to Cliché Puking Alien Zombies

CHICAGO – “The 11th Hour,” which opens on Aug. 17, is an aggressive environmentalist portrayal of our past, present and potentially dire future.

It discusses the concept that the Earth is a living, breathing organism and humans are making it “sick”. If we continue plaguing the planet without reversing the trend, the film portends that our race could erase entirely and the Earth flourish.


Nicole Kidman in “The Invasion”.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
Are we indeed the problem? In “The Invasion,” which also opens on Aug. 17, writers Jack Finney and Dave Kajganich along with director Oliver Hirschbiegel also wrangle this pickle in their new sci-fi thriller.

Washington, D.C. psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) helps unearth an alien epidemic that sweeps the planet and alters human behavior. She launches into a sleep-starved killing spree to keep her son alive in a now-emotionally barren planet.

Are we better off with such an alien disease in widespread consciousness or do we fight to save our global abode?


Nicole Kidman in “The Invasion”.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
While there’s a Hollywood entertainment factor in this picture, its most redeeming quality is whittled down to Kidman’s performance. Even with her fluctuating Aussie, southern and east coast accents, she still manages to pull it off and make us stare.

Political jabs at America’s slow reaction time to humanitarian priorities are an ongoing theme in this film.

Acting like you’re not acting in a monotone, emotionless, redundant “we come from France” conehead voice but at a lower pitch sure gets old fast. Please inject my eyeball with some McDonald’s fry grease. “Sean of the Dead” had it right with comedy.


Nicole Kidman in “The Invasion”.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
The laugh-worthy sequences came purely from the sheer ridiculousness of what was intended to be dramatic, life-threatening situations that should have pulled our heartstrings. They pulled our legs instead.

If you’re into dumbed down dialogue, flaming cars, cliché “save the world” concepts and puking alien zombies, then this Bud’s for you. Personally, I wish I would have stayed home and watched TV fuzz.

By Phil Tadros, Emilie Rose Bishop
Staff Writers
HollywoodChicago.com

© 2007 Phil Tadros and Emilie Rose Bishop, HollywoodChicago.com