ABC Bans Commercial Spot for The Weinstein Company's Comedy OUR IDIOT BROTHER

NEW YORK, Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that ABC has refused to broadcast the commercial spot for its new comedy OUR IDIOT BROTHER, unless TWC makes specified cuts.  The ad is already airing in its current form on other broadcast and cable networks.  The action has prompted TWC to cut a new red band trailer for the film.  

Commented TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein, "We'd like to dedicate our new red band trailer for OUR IDIOT BROTHER to censorship everywhere.  Enjoy!!"  

An ensemble comedy about three sisters and an incurably optimistic sibling, OUR IDIOT BROTHER was a breakout hit at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.  It is directed by Jesse Peretz and stars Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan, Hugh Dancy, Kathryn Hahn, Rashida Jones, Shirley Knight, T.J. Miller and Adam Scott.  The screenplay is by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall.

The banned television spot can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/theweinsteincompany and the new restricted trailer can be viewed exclusively on AOL’s Moviefone at http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/08/24/our-idiot-brother-red-band-trailer/.  

OUR IDIOT BROTHER opens nationwide on Friday, August 26th.  

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979.  TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE.  Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes, including Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH, winner of four 2011 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture.  Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such film as GRINDHOUSE; I'M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD;  HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; BLUE VALENTINE, THE COMPANY MEN; MIRAL; SCRE4M; and SPY KIDS 4: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D.  Upcoming releases include OUR IDIOT BROTHER, APOLLO 18, DIRTY GIRL, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN and THE ARTIST.   Recently wrapped is COGAN'S TRADE.   

TWC is also active in television production, with credits including the Emmy® Award-winning hit reality series "Project Runway," the new VH1 reality series "Mob Wives," and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency."  The company is producing three "Project Runway" spinoffs, "Project Runway All Stars," "Project Runway: Masters" and "Project Runway: Accessories," which are expected to debut in 2011.  The company currently has 17 series in different stages of development, including: "Marco Polo," a scripted historical series about the great explorer; "The Nanny Diaries," based on the hit book; and "The Mad Ones," adapted from the Mafia novel of the same name. 

SOURCE The Weinstein Company