After various delays and disputes it seems that Weinstein Co. may decide not to distribute the hotly anticipated film "Grace of Monaco."

The movie was originally positioned for a November release in 2013 and was being touted as a potential Oscar contender. However the company quickly took it off its release schedule a day after releasing a trailer and later announced the movie was not ready. A few months later it was announced Weinstein Co. would release it in March. Pundits quickly wrote off the movie as the release date indicated the film was probably not good; most films of that time period are generally not looked on as viable summer releases or Oscar contenders.

However it was later scrapped off the schedule and the release date was left unknown. During that time it was revealed that the film's director Oliver Dahan and Harvey Weinstein were fighting over the final cut of the movie. Months later it was announced that the movie would open Cannes and it was believed that a release date would finally be chosen.

However Variety is reporting that the Weinstein Company is still not satisfied with the cut that will be shown at Cannes because Weinstein "wants the film to expand upon the time Grace Kelly (Nicole Kidman) spent in Hollywood and provide further context for the political situation in Monaco, a French principality blockaded by Charles de Gaulle during the early years of Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier III (played by Tim Roth)."

However, it is unclear whether these scenes were ever filmed or whether they would have to reshoot. If the company decides to drop the film, there could easily be some negative effects but also some very positive ones. Here is a look at the good and the bad of Weinstein withdrawing its support from "Grace of Monaco."

 

Negatives

1. No Nationwide Exposure: Weinstein Co. is known for its marketing power in the indie world. The company has led a number of small budgeted films to great acclaim and box office success. Because the company has so much influence and money, it is able to distribute films nationwide and get them exposure. This is something distributors, such as Magnolia, IFC Films and even Sony Pictures Classics, have a hard time doing with a lot of their films. Unless "Grace of Monaco" gets picked up by Fox Searchlight or Focus Features, it is unlikely the movie will get nationwide distribution.

2. No Oscar Campaign: If the film ever had any hopes of awards, Weinstein Co. was the perfect distributor. When the company has a movie it believes in, it will market the film to every awards committee and make sure it gets the exposure its needs for Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Last year pundits believed the company would be left out of the Best Picture race because it lacked a heavy weight contender. However the company still managed to get "Philomena" into the Best Picture race. In 2009, Weinstein managed to get "The Reader" a best picture nomination over the highly popular "The Dark Knight" despite mixed reviews and a poor box office run.

Positives

1. Weinstein Co. is known for taking on too many projects and in some cases dumping some of its films into theaters without a proper marketing plan. For instance last year the company picked up "The Immigrant" at Cannes but quickly delayed it because it felt that the movie was a hard sell. The company then handed it over to its sister company Radius TWC for a VOD release. However nothing ever happened with Radius and the Weinstein Company took it back. The company will now release the film on May 16 in four theaters but has not bothered to promote the film on its social media or website.

2. The company is also known for delaying films and arbitrarily cutting movies. Last year the company acquired "Snowpiercer" without even seeing a full cut. The film looked promising and was seen as a potential box office hit. When the company saw the final cut, Weinstein wanted to cut 20 minutes. However director Joon-Ho Bong argued against it. As a result the Weinstein Company handed it down to the Radius and opted out of a wide release. The film will be released on VOD and in theaters in July. That film was not the only movie to be delayed various times. Last year the company had intentions of releasing "One Chance" in December in time for Oscars. However the movie was delayed even though it got a Golden Globe nomination. The film was originally intended for a March release but will now be released in August. One film that has yet to get any updates is "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet," which opened in France to great reviews and scored a Cesar Award.

 If "Grace of Monaco" is dropped from Weinstein Co. it could benefit from another company, such as Fox Searchlight or Focus Features, picking it up. These companies rarely take on as many films and generally do justice to each of their releases. These companies could also generate awards buzz, as they are known for their selectivity in films.

It will be interesting to see what the company decides on because if the movie is dropped and scores rave reviews at Cannes, Weinstein Co. could easily lose a potential awards contender.

However, if the film opens to negative buzz, than the expensive biopic will be hurt and have a hard time getting a distributor.

"Grace of Monaco" was directed by Dahan and tells the story of former Hollywood star Grace Kelly and her marriage crisis and identity, during a political dispute between Monaco's Prince Rainier III and France's Charles De Gaulle and a looming French invasion of Monaco in the early 1960s.