Director spars with Mark Cuban over release plans

Director Alex Steyermark isn't very happy with the release schedule for his forthcoming film, `One Last Thing...' It stars Gina Gershon and Cynthia Nixon, and tells the story of a terminally ill teen who makes a racy last wish.

Mark Cuban's 2929 Entertainment plans to release the movie in theaters on May 5, show it on cable (HDNet) on May 19, and start selling the DVDs on May 23rd.

Gregg Goldstein of the Hollywood Reporter writes:

Steyermark has enjoyed working with HDNet and Magnolia, saying, "They're good, smart people." His hopes rose after the film screened last September at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he says Cuban expressed interest in releasing it wide. Steyermark lobbied to have a longer DVD window. By last month, it was decided that the movie would have a brief 2-1/2-week window between theatrical and DVD.



"I think in the end he's going to be thrilled he signed up for it because it's going to be the best thing for his movie," [HDNet Films' Jason] Kliot says. Along with [Magnolia Pictures president Eamonn] Bowles, he contends that, given their limited budget for prints and advertising, the approach will maximize the simultaneous theater and DVD promotion. But all parties admit it is an experiment. [HDNet Films and Magnolia Pictures are both owned by 2929 Entertainment.]



"We're seeing if a small window makes any difference in enticing exhibitors to come aboard or not," Bowles says. "It's a bit of a fact-finding mission."