Posted in: Movies | Tagged: ant man, baby driver, edgar wright, films, sony, tristar, working title

When Sony Execs Fought Over Edgar Wright – Sony Leaks…

Wikileaks.org has posted the leaked Sony e-mails. At Bleeding Cool, we have been reading a few.

Edgar Wright has the film Baby Driver set up with Working Title, MRC and TriStar, owned by Sony. But how did that all come about?

Well there are a lot of Wright fans at Sony. Maybe sometimes they get a little too carried away. And when Wright walked off Ant-Man, it was open season…

In July, Edgar Wright emailed Amy Pascal at Sony,

So lovely to talk yesterday. Let's keep talking. Would love to come and work with you guys. QT especially sings your praises.

Three links I promised to send.

This is that music video I did that is one single take and several musical kids.

Here was my contribution to the 'Superbad' junket way back.

And THIS is that interesting article about the problems with modern female heroines.

http://thedissolve.com/features/exposition/618-were-losing-all-our-strong-female-characters-to-tr/

Enjoy and speak soon.

Sony's Michael Deluca heard about the meeting and jumped in,

Heard you are meeting with him, wanted to give you some background on the project we have with him. GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE is a book tolmach brought cantillon and I that he flipped for and scott rosenberg is adapting, and the best thing you could say to edgar is how much you love it and how great it would be if Edgar wrote it with Scott, because it's Edgar's vision that will make it a bigger movie, etc.

I've attached the coverage

It took a lot of seduction by tolmach and us to get edgar to commit to this so love it up! Thanks!

In October 2014, Tristar exec Lumumba Mosquera emailed Tom Rothman, Chairman at Tristar, what was wanted by production company Working Title for Baby Driver,

PROGRESS TO PRODUCTION: No further development required, expectation is this would be a greenlit project and, subject to cast availability (she mentioned WT sent you a cast grid), a start date to be set ASAP.

BUDGET: $46.4MM Net –> $55MM gross (not including Uni TD/OH reimbursement)

LOCATION:  Detroit location; Michigan Tax Credit

WORKING TITLE DEAL: $2.5MM v. 7.5% FDG, escal to 12.5%GP @ CB10% (HV 35% royalty)

EDGAR WRIGHT DEAL: $4.5MM v. 3.5% FDG, escal to 5%GP @ CB0%, escal to 7.5%GP @ CB5%, escal to 10%GP @ CB15% –> but WT has only budgeted $2.5MM for Wrights' director fee  and expects his contractual fee will be renegotiated down to budgeted amount.

BIG TALK (Edgar Wright Production Co):  $850K + 2.5%GP @ CB15%, escal to 5%GP @ CB20%, escal to 7.5%GP @ IABE — Morrison to come back to me w/ information on box office bonuses.

UNIVERSAL TERM DEAL / OH ALLOCATION:  $2MM in TD Allocation + $1MM in OH Reimbursement

FINAL CUT:  Edgar Wright has 2 cuts/2 previews, and Working Title have add'l 3rd cut/3rd preview which would be final cut. However WT agreed to have joint final cut w/ Edgar Wright (w/ an arbitration process [she could not elaborate on by memory] to decide in the case of disagreement).

APPROVALS: Working Title to have approval over marketing and release strategy.

Pls let me know if you have any questions. Otherwise, I will call you to discuss proposed responses to some of the points above.

He wasn't happy, telling Amy Pascal, 

I don't think they could possibly be serious about this crap, but wanted you to know that if they are, a bunch of these are deal breakers for me (final cut; marketing control; fdg; univ $; price….).  I will "work the problem" the best I can, but we may get this or we may lose this, and I wanted you guys to be aware.

Amy wanted to intervene

I'm gonna need to bring deluc a with me to meet Edgar

Maybe if we do it it's one of Those ones we do "together" let's discuss

That's Michael Deluca. Tom replied, with a voice that seemed to come right out of Epidoses,

Sorry guys, I can't do the group grope with Mike now on this one.    It would be humiliating for me at this point.      I have been into it for ages, covering both of you off every step of the way.   Edgar who I am close to, sent me the script personally three weeks ago and I met with eric in London about it in detail over two weeks ago.  I Spent two hours with Edgar on Monday.  I asked you to meet amy because I genuinely want your take on him in the room and I would love for MLynton to join too for his opinion as well.  Even if I beat it down, I worry its overpriced and underdeveloped, tho tempting, and the three of us need to discuss in depth.

But If you are concerned about deluca, then the thing for me to do is to pass in my own right first, saying its too rich for my blood— and kick it over to Mike.   That is fine with me, genuinely.  All I want is whats best for Sony, and I always promised you I would do whatever you wanted in such sits.  But I don't want to be embarrassed in front of such significant talent, especially as these particular folks gossip quite a bit.   I will move on and find the next one.   No worries.

Amy replied,

No it's okay

I'll talk to mike

You remember these issues

As did Tom,

I remember them all too well, which is why I will always defer to whatever you guys need.  My job is to make shit easier for you…

But a meeting was happening. Ariya Watty at Sony emailed David Diamond at Sony about a planned meeting with Tom, Amy, Michael Deluca and Edgar Wright in the offices. Davis emailed Michael Lynton for advice.

Not sure what went down but Sony's Doug Belgrad emailed Amy, saying,

You were right.
Mike flipping out about Edgar Wright thing.
On the one hand he's looking out for Columbia.
But on the other, he's saying things like "I was into Edgar first" as if he discovered electricity.
I really don't understand how this went down and why Mike is quite so upset.
But I guess he's embarrassed that he's been working this guy and ML tipped the thing to Tom.
But how would Michael know what MDL was up to.
I'll deal with this, but just wanted to update you.
Any add'l info you have would be appreciated.

While Michael Deluca was giving his own explanations to Amy and Lynton

I had called weeks ago and fellner said I couldn't read yet it wasn't out of uni yet but had offered edgar an overall and Bloodshot and they swore when baby driver was free to read Id get it, including Eric

When uni balked Edgar submitted to me last Friday and I said over weekend I loved it and would talk to amy and Doug when I got back to la thurs

But got hit with Tom news wed, he said he was into for weeks, but neither Edgar nor Eric said that when I got it fri

I'd been tracking Edgar for months

Amy replied,

Mike I totally understand how you feel I'm really it turned out this way
Tom wants to meet with him tomorrow
The deal sounds impossible

With Michael's complaint,

I was into it and him first and building Columbias roster of writer/directors should trump toms one offs
Starting to feel crowded

But Edgar was talking to Amy

Amy: Fantastic Hey has simon shown you the monkeys stuff as well ?

Edgar: Someone showed me the artwork for it. Maybe Animal Logic? I have been talking to them about something else too.
So glad you liked the reel. I hope you can see how Baby Driver is the culmination of a dream for me.

Amy: Yes I do I love it Are you good with mrc/ TRISTAR

Edgar: You mean as a joint effort?

Amy: Mrc doesn't distribute Well you tell me What do you wanna do?

Edgar: I haven't spoken to Eric yet, but I will tomorrow. I know the basic details of the offers and the pros and cons. I hadn't heard about a team up but I know you guys have had success with MRC before too. For me it's about the passion for the material. And it's nice that you guys have all reacted so strongly to it.  I had an inkling you would like my version of a musical so I am thrilled that you have responded to it.

On the 5th November, Tom Rothman replied,

Just want you to know, that as the days have gone on, we have gotten ever more stoked about Baby Driver, and, at long last, making a film with you.   We believe we are making progress on the deal front and I'm optimistic that there is a deal out there that gets it done.   I just wanted to assure you that the bit of time its taking is not an indication of any lack of zeal–  in fact it's the opposite!!   It, and you, Rock!

And in response

All good! Eric has been keeping me up to speed. Don't worry, I'm still excited that you are still excited.
This movie is one I've dreamed about for a long time and I intend for it to be a real mic drop of a cinematic experience. I have fire in my belly and can't wait to start plotting it out.
So let's hope we can get some of the old MGM lot magic to rub off on it.

And on the 7th, Edgar telling Amy,

Good rumbles.

And that's where we have it leave it. Baby Driver is still coming out. We hope.

See more of our Sony leaks coverage right here.

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