One of today’s big entertainment-industry news stories hits mighty close to home for us at Entertainment Weekly: After 20 years, the curtain is falling on Premiere magazine. And, with all sincerity, we bid it a heartfelt farewell.
The news is bitter, to be sure, for those of us who once worked there, who once wanted to work there, or who have friends who were just laid off from the publication. Premiere wasn’t just a formidable adversary to EW (and, indeed, its website will continue to battle EW.com) — in the years before EW, it really was the one and only magazine destination for hardcore movie fans. Quite simply, for so many of us, Premiere helped get us to where we are today. And thinking of all the personalities and articles that have appeared in its pages, from its first issue (with Tom Hanks’ Dragnet on the cover) to April’s final installment (featuring Will Ferrell’s Blades of Glory), brings back fond memories: the Hollywood underbelly exposed by Easy Riders, Raging Bulls author Peter Biskind; the hilarious movie reviews of bawdy columnist Libby Gelman-Waxner (a.k.a. In & Out screenwriter Paul Rudnick); those juicy exposes on Arnold Schwarzenegger and New Line honcho Michael DeLuca and Scientology; serving as a career launchpad for TV and movie exec Susan Lyne and TV entertainment reporter Chris Connelly; Ben Affleck interviewing himself (in the Feb. 2000 issue, pictured); and so on. Great talents and great stories.
In recent years, however, publishing a feature-oriented, "long lead" monthly proved problematic in a world where movie trade news became the province of weekly magazines, daily newspapers, nightly entertainment news shows, and instantaneous blogs. There’s no shortage of movie love out there, but there’s no monthly magazine anymore that can keep up with an industry that’s mutating as rapidly as Hollywood. In that way, the end of Premiere marks the true end of an era. We’ll miss it. Will you?
Comments (1-30) of 57 Add your comment
I hate to say it, but no, I won’t miss the magazine at all. Most of the time it read more like an advertisement for the movie industry than as anything vital or necessary. I do feel sorry for the people who have lost jobs, though, and hope they find something quick.
As clicked onto my favorite part of the new ew.com I saw the most heart breaking news I have seen in awhile. I honestly loved two magazines over the past 10 years and they have been ew and premiere. Evne though Premiere was never up to date it truly was a great magazine about movies. They had amazing articles and great features I have yet to find in a single magazine besides this one. I will miss it alot and hope my renewal check of a whopping 8 dollars goes to someone over at the magazine and buy a beer on me.
WOW! It is the end of an era, and this is huge for the magazine world! I haven’t read Premiere in Years, (I stop subscribing to Premiere when I discovered EW) yet I’m in shock!
I’m with you Isa…it’s been ages since I read it, ever since EW nicely filled the Premiere-shaped hole in me. I had honestly assumed it went the trashy way Us did to Us Weekly, and I’m a little regretful that I didn’t know better. But no, my missing it is only in the sense of nostalgia.
I did not get Premiere, although I did buy a few issues here and there. It certainly was the best movie magazine next to EW, so this is too bad. But I do agree that a montly magazine can’t compete as well.
I first started reading the magazine in India, 1994, where I was attending boarding school. Its articles, images, review, all made a major difference to what was an unpleasant period in my life. It will be more than missed.
Oh no, I really liked Premiere! It’s one of the few film magazines that are at least half serious about film. Most other magazines just seem like pandering fan mags.
truthfully, i stopped reading it after ew came out. not even sucking up.
Yes, will certainly miss it, as EW is such a poor substitute. For thoughtful, informed and high quality articles on the art of film, PREMIERE was tops. PREMIERE was to “60 Minutes” what EW is to “E! True Hollywood Story” …
Iam really saddened by this news. As with EW, I’ve been a faithful Premiere subscriber for years.
However…I’m also wondering what they will do to the rest of the paid subscription, cause I just renewed mine!
I will miss PREMIERE, too. I didn’t subscribe, but every time I flew, I bought one. It was a classy magazine about film. No cheesy gossip. Stay away from the dark side EW!
I must admit that although I subscribed for many years, I had not renewed my subscription for a couple of years. It changed and not for the better. I have been missing the original for a while now.
There are many monthly film magazines that have been around for a long time, produced in Europe, that don’t focus on the “Buz” so much as they focus on the art. It’s too bad Premiere couldn’t find a niche outside of the day to day gossip or buz world of the internet…
You know I think I kept that Dragnet Premiere magazine for a long time. I don’t know if I still have it. I loved that magazine. I think it was the first magazine I subscribed to. You’ll be missed.
Unless the expose about Scientology is about the way the media has lied to the public for years about it, then I’m not interested. The media has attacked Scientology for years without regard for the truth and continues to do so today. It’s interesting to note that you have a huge Scientology population and presence in L.A. and people more than willing to tell others about it, but when do you ever hear their story? Only tabloid lies and misinformation. With artists risking their careers for the sake of Scientology, do you ever wonder that there just might be something to it? Is it possible the controlled media just might not be telling you the whole story and intentionally painting Scientology in a negative light for a reason? Learn about Scientology and use the technology to make a huge difference in your own life and the lives of those around you. Now wouldn’t that be an interesting expose?
http://www.scientology.org
I always felt that Premiere never had much content. A friend of mine subscribed and everytime I went over there I would browse through them and find myself rather bored. Maybe in a day and age where film news is so easy to get online, print magazines just can’t keep up. I kind of thought it was like reading a week old newspaper. One with an ugly layout.
‘Premiere’ can’t be missed really. Its layout is not as colorful and pop-y as that of Entertainment Weekly — the latest layout is glorious and the font — classic and neat. This comment is not meant to disrepect ‘Premiere’, I’m just simply pointing out that its layout had never been interesting enough.
Nooooo!!!
I bought a new issue of Premiere every month. I loved that magazine. I think the one thing I valued most about it was the almost total lack of tabloid journalism that pervades Hollywood culture these days. “Britney” shaving her head, “Paris” crashing her car, anything that Perez Hilton would consider scandalous was blissfully off-limits. No offense, but you can even see its insidious influence on EW. I understand that’s what sells, unfortunately. Doesn’t mean I have to like it though.
Premiere was just a classy magazine all-around. I loved the layout, I loved the reviews, and I loved the presentation of the news, even if I’d sometimes heard it before. It will be missed.
I thought this article was self-promotion for EW and really lacks any sincereity at all (In recent years, however, publishing a feature-oriented, “long lead” monthly proved problematic in a world where movie trade news became the province of weekly magazines, daily newspapers, nightly entertainment news shows, and instantaneous blogs. There’s no shortage of movie love out there, but there’s no monthly magazine anymore that can keep up with an industry that’s mutating as rapidly as Hollywood.). Talk about self-aggrandizing. EW can’t compare itself to Premiere as it’s a weekly. Fade In magazine was Premiere’s closest rival. I started reading Fade In last year and didn’t renew Premiere because I found Fade In to be much more in-depth especially in the questions it asks stars and filmmakers and the articles giving me a more realistic insight into the move business. I hope all magazines don’t bite the bullet due to the Internet. But this article on Premiere was just in bad taste.
Thanks for the heartfelt salute to PREMIERE. Before I fell deeply in love with EW, it was PREMIERE that provided me with all my movie news. I remember being a nerdy high-schooler when I picked up that debut issue (“Dragnet?” Seriously??) in the summer of 1987…and I was hooked immediately. PREMIERE filled a void just as EW did a few years later. It was the serious moviegoers guide to movies that didn’t take itself too seriously. I eagerly aniticipated every issue….loved Biskind’s comments and Gelman Waxner’s (ne` Rudnick’s) columns. That and Movieline were all we had in the late-80’s/early-90’s and those of us who were there will remember these publications with great fondness.
Haven’t read Premiere regularly since the British edition folded a few years back, but here we still have Empire and a few other monthlies, thank goodness, adn Premiere France is still going strong.
I will miss Premeire. That and EW are the only two magazines that I subscribe to, and I have subscribed to both for years. While I do read EW more frequently, I always loved the more in-depth interviews that Premeire was able to do. I’ll miss it, and pray that EW doesn’t befall a similar fate. That would be the ultimate blow, since I read EW cover to cover each week.
I liked Premiere, sad to see it go away, careful EW you might be next. It’s hard to stay in print in today’s online era, unfortunately. I enjoy reading their power lists etc. A monthly doesn’t have much of a chance nowadays though, sure.
I will miss the hilarious movie reviews of bawdy columnist Libby Gelman-Waxner (a.k.a. In & Out screenwriter Paul Rudnick) the most. Those cracked me up the most. Much better than some of schlock writers EW has (hello, Mr. King!). And hey, the international versions and website will still be around.
P.S. Scientology is for idiots.
Definitely will be a miss
I’m reeling….what will I read on long car trips now? I need a wet cloth for my forehead.
I’m a charter subscriber to Premiere – I bought my first issue to read while waiting for my daughter to be born. (She’s 19 now.) I’ll miss their insight on Hollywood, and their ability to write long, in-depth features and articles that EW just doesn’t have the space to run. Plus, I’ll miss my monthly Libby Gilman-Waxner fix. Hey, EW – maybe you need someone else to help fill that back page space???
I echo what Mo said. I subscribe to both and will miss having the comparison between. While I love EW more (I consistantly read it cover to cover), I liked when Premier came through with great, deeper long features.
Can’t believe Premiere is folding. Does anyone else remember the mini-movie posters included in the early issues? This was one of the few magazines I bothered to subscribe to over the years. Granted, once I discovered Sight and Sound, my love affair with Premiere was largely over, but still can’t believe there isn’t room for a monthly movie magazine on American newsstands!
Why am I getting this news from EW and not Premiere? I’ve subscribed to both magazines for years and found they fill different niches for me. They’ve been complementary, not two of the same. I hope this isn’t a rising trend, as I prefer to end my day reading comfortably in bed, not at the computer. Since I can knock out EW in a day or two, I guess I’ll have to take up books oh noes.