NY Daily News - April 9, 2002
Dueling Leos Are Studios' Double Trouble
Leo DiCaprio will do box-office battle with himself on Christmas Day.
Just when it looked like peace was at hand between DreamWorks and Miramax, both studios have
decided to go head to head during the holidays with films that feature the "Titanic" star.
DreamWorks confirmed to us yesterday that it has picked a Christmas release for "Catch Me If You
Can," Steven Spielberg's true-story caper in which DiCaprio plays the youngest man to make the
FBI's most-wanted list, for forgery. Tom Hanks plays the agent who's on his tail.
Miramax also announced yesterday that it's chosen a Yuletide unspooling for "Gangs of New York,"
Martin Scorsese's 19th-century epic in which DiCaprio plays an Irish street thug. The long-awaited
film co-stars Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz.
Studio heads are apparently concerned about the prospect of octoplex audiences wrestling with which
criminal incarnation of Leo they'd prefer after their Christmas dinner.
We hear Miramax honcho Harvey Weinstein and DreamWorks partner Jeffrey Katzenberg had a phone
conference yesterday over whether a compromise date could be achieved. Word is they're letting
Spielberg and Scorsese take the first stab at working out the conflict.
Both studios need to release the films before the end of the year to qualify for Oscar competition.
And you can be sure there will be competition.
Indeed, representatives from both companies played down the idea of a rift. "The two movies are
really different," said a DreamWorks rep.
A Miramax spokesman said, "We're thrilled with Marty's movie."
Scorsese's rep, Lois Smith, admitted: "I think it would be nice if there was a little space between
the films. But I remember when Bob Redford had three movies coming out at the same time. Everybody
thought it was going to be a disaster. But they ended up helping each other."
One thing's for certain:
DiCaprio, whose career was in oblivion for a while, can count on seeing his face on many magazine
covers.
"What a tough predicament," said his rep, who by the way shrugs off the latest report the
heartthrob has been dumped by girlfriend Gisele Bundchen.
Thanks to Peanut !
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