Whoops. In what is an unusual case of a disagreement forcing a change of studio, the Nick Cassavetes-directed crime drama Alpha Dog – which stars Justin Timberlake and Sharon Stone – has been cut loose from its leash at New Line and been taken to Universal.
This is after New Line have released trailers and added links to the film for its American release. "What happened?" you ask. It all comes down to the release strategy – production company Sidney Kimmel Entertainment wanted the movie released in more cinemas across the States than New Line was willing to provide. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Universal apparently plans to put the film into 1,000 more screens than the original plan. But there’s no official word on that yet.
Alpha Dog, which has already been the subject of controversy thanks to its subject matter – the case of Jesse James Hollywood, a drug dealer who became the youngest person ever to have his mug slapped on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, is about to go to trial – will now have to wait and see when the new studio will decide to release it.