EXCLUSIVE

The New Weinstein Co. Bob Weinstein Pushed to the Back

There is a full-court press underway to save The Weinstein Co. from bankruptcy, and the plan is bad news for Bob Weinstein but good news for a number of women who may be making legal claims.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ, Colony Capital, which is negotiating to buy TWC, has a very detailed plan, which starts with changing the name of the company. We're told Tom Barrack, who runs Colony, believes the most viable asset is the TV side, although there has been an exodus by companies like Netflix and others. Barrack believes, with a new cast of characters, he can salvage some of the TV business.

We're told the plan is to let Bob Weinstein run Dimension Films, owned by TWC, but he will not be involved in running TWC in any way. As one source said, although Bob is a major shareholder, the plan is this ... "Bob will gently go."

We're told Barrack has his eye on a big partner ... among the contenders, Lionsgate, MGM, and William Morris Endeavor. One source said, "There are a dozen other big players that are interested in becoming partners."

We're told once the new partnership is put in place, and hopefully they get back some of the distribution platforms that fled, the company will start making money ... money that will pay claims made by third parties, including some of the women who say Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed or assaulted them.

And, we're told, if a new company is formed, it will happen quickly. As one very connected source put it, "If it doesn't happen within 2 weeks, it's not going to happen at all, and The Weinstein Company will be history."

Click here for info about our online advertising practices.