Miramax Bidding Battle Heats Up

Weinsteins sharpen their focus to make a play, and David Bergstein takes an interest

The word from close to the Disney auction of Miramax is that about a dozen active bidders are in the mix.

WaxWord has already reported on Summit, Relativity Media, The Weinstein Company and Studio Canal.

Now I’m hearing that the dreaded David Bergstein and his billionaire backer, construction magnate Ron Tudor, are also entering the bidding. (Their Capco Group bought ThinkFilm in 2006.)

(Hearing mixed reports on whether billionaire Nelson Peltz is actually pursuing a bid, as I’d heard previously.)

The most interesting piece of this, of course, is that The Weinstein Company has now revved up all its motors to get this done. Harvey has reportedly gotten his blood racing over the thought of taking his baby back home.

The company, I am reliably told, has signed with a leading equity firm, to be joined by two or three high net worth individuals, to finance the purchase.

Meanwhile, on the Disney side, the word among bidders is that the studio will cut down the interested group to a short-list of three to four bidders by next Friday.

Note to interested buyers: the studio is only interested in green cash. It can take a check form. But they’re not interested in a stock swap, in a debt deal or anything of the kind. Cold cash on the counter please. That Marvel shopping spree was expensive.

 

Weinsteins Circle Back to Buy Miramax From Disney

Disney Tries to Sell Miramax – But What’s the Library Worth?

 

 

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