The Weinstein Company may be adjusting its TV ad campaign for its critical smash, "The King's Speech," which is likely to pick up some Oscar bling Sunday night at the awards ceremony (on ABC).
The film is nominated for a dozen awards including best picture, director, actor, supporting actor, and supporting actress.
While ad Campaigns are often adjusted immediately after the Oscars to add the bling totals and try to draw new audiences, in this case the change is to let the public know that it is releasing an alternate version rated PG-13.
The film had been rated R because of some of the King's cursing--a speech therapy technique to overcome stuttering. But with the possibility of a wider audience after the Oscars, where it is up for a dozen statues, the company submitted an alternate version for rating by the Classification and Rating Administration--it got a PG-13, also for language--and petitioned the Motion Picture Association of America to waive the requirement that it would have to withdraw the original version 90 days before replacing it with the new one.
Along with that waiver came Weinstein's promise, "to ensure, through a revised advertising campaign, that it will be clear to consumers that a newly rated version of this film is coming to theaters near them. In this case a waiver is justified."
If it decides to go swap out the PG-13 version, it can now do so with no lag time. A source speaking on background said the change was to cut the sound and simply show Colin Firth (the King) mouthing the F-word.
