Distributors are steering clear of Oscar-winning Bryan Fogel’s acclaimed film following Sundance premiere
“The Dissident,” a powerful documentary from Oscar-winning director Bryan Fogel about murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, is being snubbed by Hollywood distributors out of fears of upsetting the Saudi regime blamed for its role in Khashoggi’s death, multiple individuals told TheWrap.
One independent studio has bid for the film but sought a partner for streaming and premium cable, a knowledgeable individual said. Potential partners including Hulu, Amazon, HBO and Showtime all passed on distributing the film, many of them citing “security measures,” according to the individual.
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But insiders told TheWrap that buyers are actually steering clear of the documentary because they don’t want to face possible repercussions from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who has been named by U.S. intelligence as responsible for the killing. In particular, companies may be reluctant to alienate a Saudi regime that has made numerous major investments in the entertainment sector in recent years.
“Saudi money is coming into Hollywood in the next two years,” one insider said. “They are meeting with everyone. In two years, everyone will forget about Jamal Khashoggi.”
Also Read: 'The Dissident' Revives Jamal Khashoggi's Brutal Murder: 'Has the Sacrificial Victim Arrived?'
A spokesperson for Showtime flatly denied its execs had been approached about partnering on a deal for “The Dissident” and pointed to its own project about the case: Rick Rowley’s “Kingdom of Silence,” executive produced by Alex Gibney and Lawrence Wright, is due to premiere on the network later this year.
Representatives for Hulu, HBO and Amazon did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Fogel declined to comment for this story. A spokesman for the film told TheWrap: “Obviously, yeah, there are discussions being held about the film, but there are definitely people interested.” As for why no deal has been announced more than a month after Sundance wrapped, the spokesman added, “It’s just taking a bit longer. I do think there’s going to be a deal soon.” He declined to give further details. UTA, the agency handling sales on the film, also had no comment.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel, was murdered on Oct. 2, 2018, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a killing squad sent by the Saudi government. Khashoggi was critical of Saudi’s crown prince and strongly opposed the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen.
He entered the Saudi consulate in Turkey to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage but never exited. Initially, the Saudi government denied involvement but after shifting explanations, Saudi Arabia’s attorney general admitted the murder was premeditated and the CIA concluded bin Salman had ordered the assassination himself.
Also Read: Saudi Arabia Sentences 5 People to Death for Jamal Khashoggi Murder
The documentary, which was critically acclaimed, delved into previously unseen details about the killing. Fogel obtained access to the Turkish government’s evidence about Khashoggi’s murder and interviewed Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, and numerous other dissidents working to uncover clues about the nature of his death and the government cover-up that surrounded it.
Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has tried to make a big imprint in the American media and entertainment industries, solidified by bin Salman’s high-profile visit to Hollywood in 2018. However, Khashoggi’s murder led many companies to pull out of deals or return investments. WME parent Endeavor returned Saudi Arabia’s $400 million investment, which would have allowed the Saudi government to own a 5% to 10% stake in the company. Penske Media took a $200 million investment from Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) in 2018 and has chosen to keep the investment.
Here is TheWrap’s interview with Fogel and Cengiz at Sundance in January:
16 Hollywood and Media Deals With Saudi Arabia - and Where They Now Stand (Gallery)
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A growing number of Hollywood and U.S. media companies have backed out of business deals with Saudi Arabia and the crown prince, known by his initials MBS, after Turkish officials concluded that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi operatives inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Here is a list of Hollywood and media deals with Saudi Arabia -- and where they stand now.
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Richard Branson
British entrepreneur Richard Branson announced he would step down as chairman of Virgin Hyperloop, a planned supersonic transport system in the United Arab Emirates and other countries, CNBC reported.
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The Harbour Group
Leading D.C. lobbying firm representing the Saudi government’s interests, the Harbour Group, announced on Oct. 11 it was terminating its $80,000-a-month contract with the kingdom.
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Endeavor
WME parent company Endeavor, one of Hollywood's top talent agencies, said on Oct. 15 it was preparing to withdraw from its $400 million financing deal with the Saudi Arabian government.
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Gerard Butler
Actor Gerard Butler pulled out of a trip to Saudi Arabia to promote his new movie "Hunter Killer" following Khashoggi's disappearance.
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‘Davos in the Desert’
The New York Times, Bloomberg, CNN, CNBC, The Financial Times, Nikkei, The Los Angeles Times, Fox Business Channel, Viacom and The Economist are among the names that have withdrawn their sponsorship or canceled their appearances from the high-powered Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, dubbed “Davos in the Desert,” to be hosted by the Crown Prince and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund in late October.
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Uber
CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he was "troubled by the reports" and would not attend the conference "unless a substantially different set of facts emerges."
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AMC
The movie theater chain has plans to open 40 theaters in the kingdom within the next five years, with the aim to reach 100 locations by 2030.
AMC declined to comment when reached by TheWrap.
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Penske Media Corp.
In February, Penske, which owns Hollywood trades Variety and Deadline, among other publications, received a $200 million investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The company declined to comment about whether it will reassess the investment.
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World Wrestling Entertainment
WWE, which is due to return to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2 for its "Crown Jewel" wrestling event, told TheWrap in statement that it’s "currently monitoring the situation." An insider also told TheWrap WWE talent have been instructed to promote the event -- but not its location -- for two weeks now.
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IMAX
Plans for IMAX to build more movie theaters in the kingdom, which have been mired in red tape, will likely be put on “pause” following Khashoggi’s disappearance, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke with TheWrap.
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Vox Cinemas
This Dubai-based movie theater chain -- not to be confused with media outlet Vox -- often received revenue from rich Saudis who traveled to Dubai on weekends while KSA’s cinema ban was in effect. They, along with AMC, got the inside track on negotiations to build cineplexes in the country and are currently the only two chains with the license from the government to do so. Vox declined to comment.
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Feld Entertainment
The company told TheWrap it had not signed any deals with the Saudis to bring international events, including “Disney on Ice,” “Disney Live,” “Marvel Experience” and “Monster Jam” to the kingdom, but that it was “still in conversation” with the kingdom. The company did not wish to comment further.
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iPic
In March, the Florida-based luxury movie theater chain had announced it had partnered with Saudi firm BAS Global Investments Co. to develop cinemas and restaurants throughout the kingdom. An iPic rep told TheWrap Wednesday that it had “no further updates” on the deal.
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Nat Geo
In April, National Geographic announced it was partnering with the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia to develop and launch several locations for its walk-through virtual-reality zoo.
Reps for Nat Geo told TheWrap they “don’t have an answer yet” on whether the partnership will continue.
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Cirque du Soleil
The iconic live entertainment brand had its first performance in Saudi Arabia on Sept. 23, just before Khashoggi went missing. It is unclear whether the company has any more performances planned in Saudi Arabia. Reps for the company did not respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
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IMG Artists
The performing arts, social media, and festival and events management company signed a letter of intent to bring large-scale festivals to the kingdom.
A rep for IMG told TheWrap that the deal went “stale” shortly after it was signed, following “changes” in the monarchy’s 2030 Vision campaign.
Death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi threatens kingdom’s modernization plans
A growing number of Hollywood and U.S. media companies have backed out of business deals with Saudi Arabia and the crown prince, known by his initials MBS, after Turkish officials concluded that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi operatives inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Here is a list of Hollywood and media deals with Saudi Arabia -- and where they stand now.
Beatrice Verhoeven
Senior Film Reporter
Sharon Waxman
Sharon Waxman, is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of TheWrap. She is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, and was a Hollywood correspondent for The New York Times.