It appears that Roeper will be bailing on Ebert and moving on to other pastures, we get this news form the professionals at Variety:
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper says he is leaving the nationally syndicated show “At the Movies With Ebert & Roeper” after eight seasons. Roeper said in a statement Sunday that he had failed to agree on a contract extension with Disney-ABC Domestic Television so his last appearance on the show will air the weekend of Aug. 16-17.
Roeper said he intends to “proceed elsewhere … as the co-host of a movie review show that honors the standards established by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert more than 30 years ago.” “I will be free to share the details on that program in the near future,” he said.
Roeper has been holding down the fort while Ebert has been ill, using guest reviewers to fill the second seat. I am curious what will happen to the show, and wonder if it will just be but on ice until Ebert is able to return. I can’t blame Roeper for wanting to do his own thing; but this certainly puts more pressure on the recovering Ebert to figure out a direction for the show in his absence.
I certainly hope the program continues, eventually welcoming the return of Ebert. I have been watching it on and off since I was a kid and it would be a shame to see the doors shut on such an institution. I can’t say that if I was in Roeper’ s position that I would’ ve made the same decision. When Ebert eventually retires, I thought it certain that Roeper would take over At The Movies. I don’t know why he would pass up such a popular show with the power to pass the baton from one generation to the next. Only Roeper knows, only Roeper knows….
