It’s hard to believe it has been two years already since Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner head on over to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s United Artists label after Cruise had his falling out with Paramount Pictures and Sumner Redstone, but it appears two years is enough for Wagner as she is in talks to leave the deal and return to producing films.
Wagner was quoted by Financial Times saying, “As much as I’ve enjoyed my time as an executive, I have longed to return to my true love, which is making movies, so that’s what I’ve decided to do.” That quote appears to be the nice version as the story insinuates Wagner and Cruise didn’t get what they were promised, which was complete autonomy to greenlight their own movies. There is no telling if that is exactly the case, but Wagner’s role in UA appears to be at an end once post-production on Valkyrie is complete.
Strangely enough, Wagner’s departure coincides with the just announced news that Valkyrie will be released two months earlier and hit theaters on December 26 as opposed to the February 13, 2009 release date it previously occupied. Of course, this may just be coincidence, but it is a strange one at that.
Behind-the-scenes financial squabbles and hirings and firings also have seemed to put a strain on the relationship between Cruise and Wagner with Harry Sloan, MGM’s chairman, but there is no telling just what Cruise will do now that his longtime partner is moving on. Cruise and Wagner will keep their equity stakes in UA, but Wagner is definitely out.
You can read all about it right here.
