Younger brother and former film-making partner Bob is aiming to keep the family name alive, launching a production company that already has a major movie in the works.
Bob has Hollywood star Tea Leoni as co-producer of animated film Endangered, for which the Madam Secretary actress will voice the lead character. The film, however, like most other movies, has been halted by coronavirus.
Watch This Entertainment was formed without fanfare five months ago by Bob, who also founded the Miramax Films and Weinstein Company empires with Harvey.
Yesterday two alleged victims of rapist Harvey, 68, who is starting a 23-year sentence, said they are horrified by his brother’s return.
Rowena Chiu, who says Harvey raped her at the 1998 Venice Film Festival, who and has already had a settlement over claims of bullying and sexual harassment at Miramax’s London office, said: “I think Bob is on the top of a pyramid of many men and women who were Harvey Weinstein enablers. Harvey didn’t sneeze without Bob knowing it.”
A Hollywood insider said: “A lot of people are going to be deeply upset that the Weinstein name writ large is going to be popping-up in the credits of Endangered and, presumably, a raft of other films.
“I can’t believe Bob isn’t anticipating open hostility from some members of the public, too, who might not be too keen on seeing that name on the silver screen.”
Public records say that Bob, 65, formed Watch This Entertainment in October in Nevada (the state offers huge tax breaks to new firms) and with a New York office. Calls to both Bob and Leoni’s offices were not responded to.
Harvey is awaiting extradition to California for another sexual assault trial over alleged attacks in LA and Beverly Hills.
He was transferred last week from New York’s grim Riker’s Island to maximum-security Wende Correctional Facility near Niagara Falls, where it is likely that he will serve the rest of his sentence.
