The Weinstein Company is looking for a new financial lifeline after a preliminary agreement for an immediate cash infusion from Colony Capital fell through.

Last week, Colony, the private equity firm run by Thomas J. Barrack Jr., reached a preliminary agreement to provide much-needed cash to the studio, which has been thrown into turmoil by allegations of sexual harassment and rape against its co-founder Harvey Weinstein. Colony was also given a limited period to exclusively pursue the purchase of some or all of the Weinstein Company’s assets.

But those plans have changed. Colony has not and will not provide a cash infusion, according to two people briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Wednesday to discuss private deliberations. It was unclear why the preliminary agreement had fallen apart.

Colony, which has experience in distressed Hollywood assets, continues to explore the purchase of some or all of the Weinstein Company’s assets. But Colony found more disorder than it had expected — and less value — once it started closely examining the studio’s assets, according to two people who were briefed on the matter. They added that Colony saw bankruptcy as the most likely near-term outcome for the studio.