Daldry's 'Reader' gets 2008 release

Weinstein, Rudin agree on Dec. 12 date

By ANNE THOMPSON

A dispute between Harvey Weinstein and producer Scott Rudin over the release of the Weinstein Co.’s "The Reader" has been resolved. The two men issued a joint statement Sunday announcing that the pic will open Dec. 12, and they "are in complete agreement on the date."

In a simultaneously released statement, director Stephen Daldry said he is "thrilled and relieved that we have all found a way forward to work together."

The disagreement (Variety, Sept. 29) was over giving Daldry the time he needed to meet the delivery date of his first cut. Complicating matters is that Daldry is in the midst of prepping the tuner "Billy Elliot" for its Nov. 13 Broadway bow.

While Dec. 12 was the distrib’s target date, the original post-production schedule was "physically impossible," according to a source close to the production. Daldry was originally scheduled to deliver his first cut Oct. 5.

In order to broker an accord with Rudin and Daldry, who had urged Weinstein not to force him to finish the movie this year, Weinstein added a month to the delivery schedule and moved all post-production to New York.

"Working together, we developed a plan to extend the post-production schedule in order to give Stephen Daldry the additional time he needs to successfully complete the film in time to release it on Dec. 12," the Rudin-Weinstein statement said.

The World War II-era romance was adapted by David Hare from Bernhard Schlink’s novel, and stars Kate Winslet.

The release date was in question because, among other factors, Rudin is already opening two late-year movies: "Doubt" and "Revolutionary Road," which also stars Winslet. Weinstein, who has several other films in 2009, had targeted "The Reader" for release this year.

Rudin is a producer on the film, as are the late Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack. Weinstein is one of the exec producers.