CITY OF LIES (LAbyrinth) Updates

jruoss · Unread post by **jruoss** » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:55 pm

Yes, and there may have been some Damien Echols influence at play in the references to the chupacabra and the 23rd floor...

humiliatedgrape · Unread post by **humiliatedgrape** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:42 pm

This may be the most likely reason we won't see City of Lies. Same goes for Richard Says Goodbye.

Global Road Shake-Up: Banks Take Control of Film Studio

Staff at the mini-Hollywood studio were told Tuesday of the drastic move.

Global Road's financially strapped mini-film studio is now in the control of lenders.

Staff at the company were told of the dire development on Tuesday, just as the film division prepares to release the family adventure A.X.L. on Friday. They were not told the name of the banks, however.

Last week, The Hollywood Reporter first reported that Global Road Tang Media Partners, founded by Donald Tang, has been unable to raise the funds needed to keep Global Road's film distribution and production operation flush beyond the end of the year. Global Road, which is less than a year old, is run by veteran Hollywood studio chief Rob Friedman.

Lenders have several options when assuming control of an asset. They can decide to either sell, extend more credit to Global Road or opt to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

So far, there have been no layoffs.

Following Tuesday's all-hands meeting, sources told THR that Global Road's television and international sales divisions are in better standing since they have generated revenue. To date, the mini-studio has yet to score a box-office win.

Tang began his foray into Hollywood in earnest in mid-2016 upon buying IM Global and simultaneously launching a TV production fund with the company's recently hatched IM Global Television unit.

A year ago this month, Tang closed a deal to buy North American distributor Open Road Films and hired veteran Hollywood studio chief Friedman to run the combined companies. In October, the indie studio was rebranded Global Road Entertainment.

Screen Daily first reported that lenders have taken control.

Global Road declined comment.

meeps · Unread post by **meeps** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:51 am

But wouldn't it be in the money men behind the scene's best interest to send out the two movies, so they could earn them some money? Or am I being naive here?

SdubLU · Unread post by **SdubLU** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 10:42 am

Yeah meeps I was wondering about the same thing!
And what I was also asking myself: Would this rather mean we won't see them now but later or never at all?

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:13 am

I think later - either through a refinanced company or by them selling the rights I guess. I think they can't release the films whilst the company is not financially secure because all business works on an element of credit/time to pay for goods and services and once people know you may not be able to pay the bills they won't extend credit. Many companies have perfectly viable things to sell but can't if there is a cash flow issue.

Given who is starring in the film, its ready made genre-of-music audience and let's face it - all of the free publicity it has received - it would be amazing for it never to get a release.

I really hope we get to see it when the court case has been resolved; when we've got more facts out from the Sun lawsuit, and after Fantastic Beasts because I just want that to have a clear run.

justintime · Unread post by **justintime** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:53 pm

Wonder where starter distributor Sweet Charm Media, and it’s license to release City of Lies in China, fall in this web? Are they under the Global Road umbrella also? All very confusing to me . . .

meeps · Unread post by **meeps** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:39 am

Thanks a lot for explaining, Ade

Now I wish, that the tabloids would be just as eager to tell their readers about this, and explain that that is most probably the reason for the delay - I hope, it's just a delay - and so not at all Johnny's fault.
But I won't hold my breath! "Death by gossip mags" is not my preferred way to go

meeps · Unread post by **meeps** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:25 am

A alternative (and rather scary in my eyes) explanation for why we're not allowed to see the movie. And again it's not seen as Johnny's fault:

Chocolat · Unread post by **Chocolat** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 10:36 am

meeps wrote:A alternative (and rather scary in my eyes) explanation for why we're not allowed to see the movie. And again it's not seen as Johnny's fault:

Thank you meeps for this link. Quite an interesting and profound read.
So, we have yet another source, Lori Burns of Global Roads, who has lied about Johnny.
Her publicity spin used Johnny as a scapegoat for their reasons to explain holding back the release of the film.
Now we can add another low life onto the deceitful list.

myfave · Unread post by **myfave** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 12:12 pm

City of Lies will not be coming out in theater?

justintime · Unread post by **justintime** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 12:17 pm

Chocolat wrote:
meeps wrote:A alternative (and rather scary in my eyes) explanation for why we're not allowed to see the movie. And again it's not seen as Johnny's fault:
Thank you meeps for this link. Quite an interesting and profound read.
So, we have yet another source, Lori Burns of Global Roads, who has lied about Johnny.
Her publicity spin used Johnny as a scapegoat for their reasons to explain holding back the release of the film.
Now we can add another low life onto the deceitful list.

Thank you, meeps. That is a chilling read, indeed. “Bravo” to the Daily Beast and journalist Justin Rohrlich for giving us such a well-written and seemingly well-researched piece.

Yes, Chocolat, lets see how far Ms Burns’ lies (against Johnny, of all people) take Global Roads.

Yikes - City of Lies could be buried forever or win every award possible! Still wondering where that leaves China’s Sweet Charm Media and their legitimate license to distribute in China. Perhaps an unexpected back door to a limited release?

jruoss · Unread post by **jruoss** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 5:32 pm

jruoss wrote:Maybe it's even political, as the film suggests a strong distrust of the LAPD. At least at that time.

I was hoping I wasn't on the right track w this, but...
Meanwhile there's someone at Global Road trying to make Johnny the scapegoat for the film's indefinite status??? Seems like plenty of sinister to go around here. At least there shouldn't be any LAPD issues w Richard Says Goodbye...

humiliatedgrape · Unread post by **humiliatedgrape** » Fri Aug 24, 2018 6:34 pm

Global Road Looking to Sell Films After Lenders Take Control

Global Road Entertainment is in the hands of two banks that are seeking to sell off its film assets, sources tell Variety. Bank of America is taking the lead and East West Bank is a participant in the credit facility, as the studio appears to have run out of runway on its ambitions to become a film giant with worldwide reach.

The studio has been making overtures to competitors in recent days and is scheduling screenings for films in various stages of production. It has signaled that it is open to entertaining offers for “City of Lies,” a crime thriller with Johnny Depp that it recently yanked from the release calendar. The banks are also shopping “The Silence,” a horror movie with Kiernan Shipka, and “Playmobil: The Movie,” which blends live-action and animation. Global Road is also backing out of “The Secret Garden,” a co-production with StudioCanal that is in development.

The company may be forced into bankruptcy if it can’t find a way to alleviate its financial issues. Earlier this week, Global Road employees were informed that lenders had taken control of the film studio after it was unable to raise roughly $200 million in production financing. Global Road is owned by Tang Media Partners. It is the combination of Open Road Films, the Oscar-winning studio behind “Spotlight” that Tang Media Partners purchased in 2017 for $28.8 million, and IM Global, a sales and production company that it bought in 2016 for a rumored $200 million. At the time, Donald Tang, the company’s charismatic chairman, said he hoped to release approximately 15 films a year, while intensely focusing on bridging the cultural and business divide between China and the U.S.

Global Road’s chances of digging out of a financial hole have been complicated by difficult economic headwinds. President Donald Trump’s trade war with China has cooled that country’s investment in entertainment companies, limiting a source of capital. Even before tariff battles began, China had signaled that it felt burned by previous media investments and was rethinking its strategy.

But that’s not the only reason that Global Road is in crisis. The company lost millions on the Jodie Foster thriller “Hotel Artemis” and the Reese Witherspoon rom-com “Home Again.” Its most recent film, the futuristic “A.X.L.,” is also expected to bomb when it debuts this weekend. It is projected to earn between $3 million to $5 million, a disastrous result for a wide release.

Chocolat · Unread post by **Chocolat** » Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:15 pm

Thank you humiliatedgrape for this update. The real truth surfaces which proves how Hollywood will crush the innocent to save their own skin. But will there be an apology to Johnny from Global Road? Probably not, however, an article from The Daily Mail, posted yesterday, reports that,
"Johnny Depp's 'erratic behavior' was wrongly given as the reason a controversial new film about the 1997 murder of rapper Biggie Smalls was axed, claims the director in charge of the movie."

Kudos to the director, Brad Furman!

SnoopyDances · Unread post by **SnoopyDances** » Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:40 pm

A bankruptcy filing from the studio could also hamper the lawsuit. If the guy is seeking money and the studio is in bankruptcy, there’s very little chance he’ll become one of the creditors.
Banks and courts will get paid first.

If he’s trying to get money out of Johnny, too, that won’t be a large payout. Johnny could always claim bankruptcy too, if his financial situation qualifies.