WGA, Weinstein Co. reach deal

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The Weinstein Company is reportedly expected to announce it has reached an interim agreement with the striking Writers Guild of America.

Harvey Weinstein, the company's co-founder, told The New York Times his independent film studio has made a deal similar to that reached last week by United Artists.

The WGA has been on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group that represents Hollywood's TV networks and movie studios, since Nov. 5.

Nearly all scripted television shows and several film productions have been shut down since then.

"We need to get people back to work," Weinstein said, adding other studio and network bosses responded "negatively" to his decision to make an independent agreement.

The Weinstein Company's big-screen adaptation of the stage musical "Nine" will be one of the first projects to benefit from the new deal, the Times said.

Filmmaker Anthony Minghella is expected to begin revising a script written by Michael Tolkin for Rob Marshall's new movie musical.

Marshall previously worked with Weinstein on "Chicago," while Minghella collaborated with him on "Cold Mountain" and "The English Patient."