Weinstein Books Imprint Axed; Hachette Takes Projects, Staff

Hachette Book Group has terminated its Weinstein Books imprint effective immediately, with Weinstein titles now to be published under the Hachette Books imprint, Deadline has confirmed.

The decision comes just two days after Hachette told Publishers Weekly that it would honor contracts with all writers with its Weinstein Books, a joint venture with The Weinstein Company.

The axing of the imprint was not unexpected: Last week, Mika Brzezinski very publicly announced she would terminate her three-book deal with Weinstein Books unless Harvey Weinstein resigns. Even with his firing from the Weinstein Company, the imprint brand was toxic.

The imprint was launched as the boutique Miramax Books by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2001, with such authors as Rudy Giuliani and Madeleine Albright. In 2009 it began as a joint venture with Hachette’s Perseus Books.

The company said in a statement, “Hachette Book Group has terminated the Weinstein Books imprint, effective immediately (Perseus Books has had a co-publishing agreement with The Weinstein Company, under which we published around ten new books a year). Going forward, titles currently under the Weinstein Books imprint will be published by our Hachette Books imprint, and the Weinstein Books imprint team will join Hachette Books.”