Amazon may be distancing itself from disgraced director Woody Allen once and for all. Sources close to the company spoke to Page Six and confirmed that the retail and distribution giant may never release Allen's controversial film A Rainy Day In New York, which stars Selena Gomez and Elle Fanning. In the wake of ongoing allegations from Mia Farrow's daugter Dylan Farrow that he sexually assaulted her as a child, the film's future has been uncertain.
The movie, which also features actors Jude Law and Timothée Chalamet, was slated to be released in 2018 but, as sources told Page Six, "no release date has ever been set." When reached for comment, representation for Amazon confirmed that the movie indeed does not have a release date. The company reportedly spent $25 million on the project and could stand to lose even more money if it terminates its deal to distribute three future Allen projects in the future, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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This news comes nearly eight months after anonymous sources told The New York Times that Amazon "is having serious conversations about ending its relationship with Mr. Allen," in light of the #MeToo movement. Farrow first accused Allen of sexual assault in 1992 and has stood by her allegations ever since. Her brother, Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow, has also thrown his support behind her, stating in an open letter that her claims are "backed by a significant body of credible evidence, including physical and eyewitnesses to abuse."
Despite the fact that the allegations have floated around Hollywood for decades, it took the #MeToo and Time's Up movements to elicit a response from the cast. Some, such as Chalamet, pledged to donate their salaries to charitable organizations like RAINN. Meanwhile, Gomez has said she's "not sure how to answer" questions concerning the allegations against Allen. Weeks later, her mother, Mandy Teefy, wrote in a (now-deleted) comment on Instagram that while she tried to discourage her daughter from participating in the film, Gomez ignored her advice. "No one controls her. She makes all her own decisions," Teefy said.
Should Amazon decide to shelve A Rainy Day In New York indefinitely, the company would be demonstrating that it takes sexual misconduct allegations seriously and that it won't reward alleged offenders by giving them a platform.
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