Millennium Media is no longer involved in the sale or production of the film Milli Vanilli by Brett Ratner, Variety confirmed.
However, the project has other bidders and investors who are fully financing production, according to RatPac. Millennium and Ratner’s RatPac Entertainment issued a joint statement on Wednesday about the decision.
“In the wake of the announcement of the movie Milli Vanilli, the project received several competitive bids and a group of private equity investors appeared to fully finance the film to start production soon,” says the statement. “Millennium is not going to sell the film at EFM or get involved in production.”
Ratner’s biographical film about the voice actors of the 1980s and 1990s was announced on February 19 before the Berlin Film Festival market, and is expected to be the director’s return to the cinema after allegations of sexual misconduct. In November 2017, seven women, including Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused the director of sexual harassment and misconduct, prompting Warner Bros to sever relations with Ratner.
In a statement on February 20, Time’s Up said Ratner should not have a return in the industry.
“TIME’S UP was born out of the national assessment of sexual harassment in the workplace,” said Tina Tchen, president and CEO of Time’s Up Foundation in response to the news. “Our movement is the product of countless acts of courage by many survivors, including those who spoke about what they endured at the hands of Brett Ratner.”
Tchen continued, adding that Ratner did not adequately address the charges and, instead, filed lawsuits against women who came forward.
“Ratner not only never acknowledged or apologized for the damage he caused, but he also filed lawsuits in an attempt to silence the voices of the survivors who came forward – a tactic taken from the predator’s manual. You can’t go away for a few years and then resurface and act like nothing has happened. We have not forgotten – and we will not – forget. Millennium Media shouldn’t be either. There should be no return. #wewontforgetbrett. “