Miramax Films Disney bought Miramax Films, founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, on June 30, 1993, gaining the rights to its library of more than 200 films. As part of the deal, Disney financed future Miramax productions. Since the Disney purchase, Miramax has released such hits as The Piano, The Crow, Little Buddha, Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, Sling Blade, Life Is Beautiful, The English Patient (Best Picture Oscar), Shakespeare in Love (Best Picture Oscar), Good Will Hunting, Chicago (Best Picture Oscar), Gangs of New York, and No Country for Old Men (Best Picture Oscar). After winning its Academy Award for Best Picture, Chicago became Miramax’s highest-grossing release ever. Miramax also released under its Dimension Films label. On September 30, 2005, the Weinsteins left Miramax to form their own new company, The Weinstein Company. Disney continued to run Miramax, as well as own its film library. In October 2009, Disney greatly cut back Miramax’s staff and film output, and on January 29, 2010 closed Miramax offices, moving the operations to Disney’s Burbank headquarters. Arrangements were announced in July 2010 to sell Miramax to an investor group led by Ron Tutor for more than $660 million, though Disney continued with plans to release two films under the Miramax label–The Switch and The Tempest. The sale was completed in December.
