Marlon Wayans recently expressed regret for not suing Harvey Weinstein over the alleged theft of his family’s film ideas, particularly for the Scary Movie franchise. The franchise began in 2000 as a comedy-horror film created and written by Wayans and his brother, Shawn, and was directed by another brother, Keenan. The movie was produced by Harvey Weinstein’s Miramax. The success of the first film led to four sequels.
During an interview on Club Shay Shay, Wayans revealed that Miramax offered his family a “crappy” deal for the initial movie, leading to strained relations as the sequels progressed. By the time Scary Movie 3 was in production, Miramax hired the Zucker brothers to direct the film based on ideas from the Wayans, without their consent.
Despite the setbacks, Wayans highlighted the success of other projects such as White Chicks and Little Man, but he admitted that he should have taken legal action against Weinstein and Miramax for appropriating their concepts. He also emphasized the unique comedic legacy of the Wayans family, stating, “You can’t do Wayans shit without the Wayans. You can try, but eventually, you’re gonna lose a lot of money because what we do is special.”
In a recent statement, Wayans shared his thoughts on the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, who was convicted in 2020 on multiple counts of rape and sexual assault. Wayans expressed that he perceived Weinstein’s conviction and the subsequent unraveling of his professional career as a form of “God’s revenge.” He emphasized the idea that sometimes it’s unnecessary to take action against wrongdoers because eventually, divine justice will prevail. Wayans highlighted the impact of the #MeToo movement, which was significantly influenced by Weinstein’s case.
Moreover, Wayans reflected on the takeover of Weinstein’s company, Miramax, and the Weinstein Co., suggesting that the subsequent controversies and legal troubles were indicative of a greater cosmic retribution. He underscored the principle of letting go and leaving matters to a higher power, quoting the biblical phrase “vengeance is mine.” Wayans also drew attention to the broader impact of Weinstein’s actions, asserting that not only were women affected, but also marginalized groups, using a deeply offensive term to make his point.
