As a seasoned movie critic with decades of industry experience under my belt, I have witnessed many instances of Hollywood’s backroom deals and creative thefts. The saga of Scary Movie 3 is one that has always left a sour taste in my popcorn.
2000 saw director Keenan Ivory Wayans, ably aided by his brothers Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans in scriptwriting, debut the comedy “Scary Movie”. This movie was a hilarious parody of the hit horror films that gained popularity towards the end of the ’90s, including “Scream” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer”. The reception was incredibly favorable, leading to a swift sequel the following year. However, when “Scary Movie 3” was produced, the Wayans Brothers were no longer part of the franchise, having been replaced by director David Zucker and his team. Now, many years down the line, Marlon Wayans is disclosing how they were deprived of their own franchise by the studio, and how they used the Wayans’ pitch for the third film despite this.
On Shannon Sharpe’s podcast, Club Shay Shay, Marlon Wayans disclosed that Harvey and Bob Weinstein essentially seized control of the franchise from the Wayans brothers. This dispute primarily stemmed from the brothers seeking more remuneration for the third film given the substantial financial success of the first two installments. When the Wayans siblings proposed their concept for a third movie to the Weinsteins, Marlon recounted that they responded with enthusiasm, saying, “We love it. We’re going to make an offer.” Unfortunately, the offer made by the Weinsteins was identical to what the Wayans brothers had earned for the first film, which they declined. Subsequently, the Wayans brothers were taken aback when Scary Movie 3 was produced and bore a striking resemblance to their original idea. Marlon stated that the Weinsteins not only took credit for the third movie but also appropriated the idea that the Wayans brothers had pitched them.
“Initially, they seized the franchise from us and handed it over to someone else without our knowledge, as we couldn’t reach an agreement. Later on, we found out about it only through news reports.
Evidence Suggests That the Weinsteins Wanted to Get Ahead of the Wayans Brothers With Scary Movie 3
The claims made earlier seem to support Keenan Ivory Wayans’ accusation that the concept for the third “Scary Movie” was indeed taken by the Weinsteins. David Zucker, who directed the third installment, confessed to British GQ that he primarily acted as a contractor under Bob Weinstein and presented an idea saying, “We want to base (the film) on ‘Signs’ and ‘The Ring’. You’ve seen those, right?” As fans of the movie can attest, the main plotline of “Scary Movie 3” revolves around spoofing these specific films. Craig Mazin, the screenwriter for the third movie, also admitted that the Weinsteins pressured him to quickly produce the film so they could release it before the Wayans Brothers did. Mazin was told, “I think the Wayans are going to come up with another parody movie. I need to have Scary Movie 3 out before them.
Even though the events surrounding Scary Movie 3 didn’t turn out well for Wayans, when he was seeking distribution for A Haunted House in 2013, he eventually presented it to the Weinsteins. However, it became apparent that they were still engaging in their old underhanded tactics. According to Wayans, the Weinsteins attempted to purchase the film and keep it from being released, similar to what happened with Scary Movie 3. Furthermore, they tried to use the concepts from A Haunted House to develop Scary Movie 5 instead.
Wayans expressed a feeling of vindication when it appeared that karma caught up with both Harvey and Bob Weinstein in the years following their departure from the Scary Movie franchise. As everyone is aware, Harvey’s career came to a sudden halt during the rise of the #MeToo movement, resulting in his imprisonment today. While Bob wasn’t accused of similar misconduct, he too lost his place in Hollywood as decades of the Weinsteins’ aggressive tactics to secure deals became public knowledge. Wayans humorously remarked, “Now your brother’s in jail, and you’re not in the business.
Occasionally, it’s not necessary for you to act because God will handle everything, His justice will prevail. When God is ready for you, trust in Him. Do not seek revenge, vengeance belongs to Him. The people took away his company, Miramax, then they had the Weinstein Company, but after that, a series of sexual misconduct allegations surfaced and they even took that company away as well.
In 2000, the release of the movie “Scary Movie” turned out to be a massive hit, earning an impressive $278 million worldwide on a budget of just $19 million. Though “Scary Movie 2” didn’t fare as well financially, it still managed decent returns considering its production cost of $45 million and a final global revenue of $141.2 million. The theft of “Scary Movie 3” was particularly painful for the Wayans family, as this installment outperformed the second one in terms of earnings, raking in $220.6 million worldwide against a budget of $48 million. Unfortunately, the creators Zucker and his team only returned for “Scary Movie 4” in 2006, while Malcolm D. Lee took charge as director for “Scary Movie 5” in 2013.
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2024-09-10 20:35