Update: THR has corrected their piece. See the updated information below.
Over the past several years, stories about how some of the behind-the-scenes moguls in Hollywood abused their power have made headlines. Obviously, everyone knows the disgusting crimes committed by Harvey Weinstein, as an example. But in a new THR piece, the alleged toxic, abusive workplace created by producer Scott Rudin is profiled in graphic detail. And though there are no current accusations of sexual misconduct, Rudin is alleged to have verbally and physically abused dozens of assistants and colleagues on his way to earning Oscars.
While you can definitely read the details at THR about the litany of accusations lobbed at the superstar producer, one film-related tidbit is mentioned in the piece that relates to a film that has yet to be released but has been the subject of reported drama—Joe Wright’s thriller “The Woman in the Window.”
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Joe Wright’s upcoming thriller “The Woman in the Window” was poised to be an awards-contending hit. The film stars Amy Adams in the lead role and, on paper at least, feels like a film that could stand up to “Gone Girl” in terms of modern auteur thrillers. However, the film has been delayed almost two years from its original 2019 release date due to behind-the-scenes drama reportedly spawned by poor test screenings. And now, THR gives us a bit more information about what has gone on with the film.
READ MORE: Tony Gilroy Finally Talks The “Terrible Troubled Mess” Of Star Wars’ ‘Rogue One’
According to the report, when the film was set up at Fox (yes, it predates the Disney acquisition), initial test screenings for “The Woman in the Window” didn’t do well, and producer Scott Rudin took over the film from director Wright. From there, it’s reported that Rudin hired writer/filmmaker Tony Gilroy to work on rewrites for the reshoots that took place after poor test screenings (he rewrote some scenes). to handle reshoots of the film. This is similar to what reportedly happened when Gilroy was hired to oversee reshoots for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” However, unlike the Lucasfilm project. The THR report says the rewrites (and reshoots) ultimately didn’t help, as the subsequent test screenings were “about the same” as before. This isn’t a huge surprise. Gilroy is known as one of the go-to script doctors in Hollywood, amassing small fortunes for uncredited rewrite work on big-budget Hollywood movies.
Obviously, there is probably a lot more to the story that has yet to be revealed when it comes to high-profile films with behind-the-scenes drama. But it’s clear there are many reasons why “The Woman in the Window” has been delayed this long. As of now, the film is expected to be released on Netflix on May 14.