When the hit film "Jerry Maguire" premieres on Showtime next month, it will be 47 seconds longer than it was in the movie theaters.
The Tom Cruise movie will now end with a fictional Reebok commercial that director-writer Cameron Crowe had edited out because he thought it ruined the ending.Nobody is saying why the commercial is back, but it was the core complaint of a product-placement lawsuit by Reebok against Sony's TriStar Pictures, which was settled in September on the day the trial was to have started. Both sides refuse to discuss the deal.
Reebok and Showtime, however, did confirm last week there will be a new version of "Jerry Maguire," being broadcast Jan. 17 in the film's cable television premiere.
"It's the first time the commercial will be included," Reebok spokesman Dave Fogelson said.
Whether Crowe approved the change, or if he even knew about it, remained unclear. He did not return messages from The Associated Press and his agency said he was unavailable for comment. Tri-Star also did not return messages seeking comment.
This commercial was a key issue in Reebok's lawsuit, which gave a rare glimpse at the business of placing name-brand products in Hollywood films.
Reebok's placement deal with TriStar called for Reebok to provide jackets, shoes, real athletes who endorse Reebok and a football expert to train actors. Reebok also put up $200,000 to help produce the fictional commercial.
In exchange, Reebok got "recognizable product visibility" in the film, according to court papers.
In a tape of the commercial segment obtained by The Associated Press, Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. plays football player Rod Tidwell, who finally gets a lucrative endorsement deal.
In the 47-second spot, the character says over pulsating music that there are many things he won't do, including believe his own hype, but: "There is one thing I know how to do. Survive."
It then shows the words: "Rod Tidwell. We didn't notice you for four seasons. We're sorry."
At the end, the Reebok logo flashes on the screen. The name of the company is never mentioned.
The commercial was scripted by Crowe but produced with assistance by Reebok for authenticity's sake, according to court papers. Crowe battled Reebok over the content of the commercial.
"Reebok was having trouble apologizing to an athlete," Crowe said in a signed declaration. "Reebok had never done so before."
He included the final version in the film over the closing credits. Poor test screenings prompted Crowe to edit it out.
"The Tidwell commercial blunted the emotional impact of the movie - it was lost in the fun of the commercial," wrote Crowe, who said he found test audiences' reaction to the movie with the commercial in it "artistically devastating."
After the film's release, Reebok International sued Sony, claiming producers "agreed without qualification" to use the commercial, which Reebok called "the centerpiece of its commitment to the movie."
The omission was particularly harmful because in the movie theater version, the only time the name Reebok is mentioned is during an angry speech by Gooding's character.