Darabont's reputation has been greatly overblown; for me he's only made one great movie (Shawshank), but I'd still take him handling this kind of thing.
“Walking Dead” creator Frank Darabont is in early talks to direct “Snow White and the Huntsman 2” for Universal Pictures and Roth Films, an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.
Darabont has not received an official offer yet but is expected to engage with the project when one does materialize, as Universal and producer Joe Roth are high on his take for the sequel/spinoff. He beat out Gavin O'Connor (“Warrior”) and Andy Muschietti (“Mama”) for the high-profile gig.
Meanwhile, Kristen Stewart is not expected to return for “SWATH 2,” which is expected to emphasize Chris Hemsworth‘s role as the titular Huntsman. Thanks to “The Avengers,” Hemsworth is a much bigger star since the first film was released in June 2012. Since no script has been finalized, if Stewart does return, her appearance would likely be limited to a cameo or a handful of brief scenes.
As such, the spinoff may drop “Snow White” from the title and rebrand with a Huntsman-centric title.
Charlize Theron is also expected to reprise her role as the evil queen, who was left trapped in her own mirror at the end of the first film.
Rupert Sanders directed “Snow White and the Huntsman,” which grossed nearly $400 million worldwide. Universal plans to release the next film in the fairy tale series in 2016.
Darabont's film will be based on an Evan Spiliotopoulos script that was rewritten by Craig Mazin.
Darabont previously directed the Stephen King adaptations “The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Green Mile” and “The Mist,” and he also helped turn “The Walking Dead” into one of TV's biggest hits. He's represented by CAA, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the sequel to June's Snow White, which starred Stewart, Hemsworth and Charlize Theron, is being reconceived as a spinoff movie. It's unclear whether director Rupert Sanders will return, though one source with ties to the production says he will. However, screenwriter David Koepp, who had been hired to pen the continuation of the original film, is being settled out of his rich contract, according to sources, as the project is being transformed into something other than the movie that Koepp had been hired to write.
I have no problems with this, as Stewart's performance was the weakest element of the original (which I otherwise liked a lot). Just give me Hemsworth tossing axes around, and I'll be happy (and I'm a big Darabont fan, so nice to see him getting a big screen assignment again).
AndyDursin wrote:
Charlize coming back is interesting...I wouldn't expect her to return, unless it's also a brief reprise.
Um, the original ended with her "trapped in her own mirror"? What movie did the writer of that article watch?
Was it Koepp's idea that Snow White would be influenced by the mirror in a sequel and "go bad" or something? That sounded intriguing to me, but I guess we're not going down that road.
My only hang-up is the concept of Hemsworth running around in the forest reminds me of BROTHERS GRIMM and that sucked. One of only a few movies I've ever walked out of on my own accord lol.
Looks like they are locked into an April '16 release date, which is now cutting it close with the news they've tossed Frank Darabont to the wayside.
On the other hand, given Chris Hemsworth's busy schedule, they're likely to stay with it and just get the film made with someone else. Sounds like that's the case.
Emily Blunt is being tabbed to co-star with Charlize coming back...
EXCLUSIVE: Frank Darabont and Universal have parted company, and he will no longer be the director of The Huntsman, the second installment of Snow White And The Huntsman. They’ve apparently parted amicably, and the old “creative differences” is being cited as the reason. The studio has someone else in its cross hairs, and it is expected to stay on track and keep the April 22, 2016, release date. The film focuses on Chris Hemsworth’s Huntsman character, and Charlize Theron is also returning from the Rupert Sanders-directed original that grossed close to $400 million worldwide on a $170M budget. Emily Blunt has been in talks for weeks, but the deal for the Into The Woods star still hasn’t closed yet. Darabont, who helmed The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile and hatched The Walking Dead, most recently directed 2007′s The Mist.
UPDATE, 5:06 PM: Universal has moved fast to replace director Frank Darabont in the follow-up The Huntsman, after Deadline broke the story Friday that Darabont amicably exited the role and the studio was hot on the trail already for a replacement. VFX wiz Cedric Nicolas-Troyan will take it on now, the studio confirmed today. He worked on the first pic, 2012’s Snow White And The Huntsman, landing a Visual Effects Oscar nom. He also was Second Unit Director on Disney’s Maleficent, and is in development to direct Bethlehem for Universal, so he’s certainly a known quantity on the lot.
The studio is keeping its April 22, 2016 release date. Darabont wrote the most recent version of the script.
Nicolas-Troyan, who also is in development to direct Highlander at Summit, is repped by CAA and Management 360.
Jessica Chastain has closed a deal to join Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron in Universal’s “The Huntsman.”
Emily Blunt is also set to join the cast. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan is directing the pic, with Joe Roth producing and Palak Patel exec producing.
Plot details are vague beyond that the film reveals how the fates of two characters, the Huntsman Eric (Hemsworth) and Ravenna, intersected before they met Snow White. Details on Chastain’s character are also vague.
Frank Darabont, who was previously attached to direct before falling off, wrote the current draft of the screenplay, with earlier drafts by Craig Mazin and Evan Spiliotopoulos.
The pic is set to bow on April 22, 2016. Universal’s vice president of production Maradith Frenkel and creative executive Chloe Yellin will oversee the project for the studio.
