Tommy Wirkola will not direct Hansel & Gretel 2

Last Updated on July 22, 2021

Tommy Wirkola has had a lot on his plate since the release of DEAD SNOW as he went on to helm the surprise hit HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, only to follow that up with DEAD SNOW 2 which is quickly approaching its VOD release on October 10th. He’s a busy man, let’s just say.

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen some updates on the HANSEL & GRETEL sequel including this bit o’ news that Wirkola had finished and turned a script into Paramount. Soon after that, Jeremy Renner chimed in saying his return to the sequel will ultimately come down to availability. Makes sense. But now it looks like there might be a slight wrinkle in the project as Fangoria recently caught up with Wirkola, who said, “I’ve just decided to not direct HANSEL & GRETEL 2”.

He continued:

I have been lately attached to a few more things, it’s just a matter of time and priorities. I did DEAD SNOW 1, then HANSEL & GRETEL 1, and then DEAD SNOW 2. I want to do something a little bit different now and not just do sequels. I did write the script and I hope to be involved in it. But yeah, I won’t be directing it.

Although I’m bummed to see Wirkola stepping away from the director’s chair on this one, the most important thing is getting both Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton (below) to take the leading roles once again. You really can't blame Wirkola for wanting to focus his attention on something new and original, especially after just finishing a different sequel. It'll be interesting to see what happens next, so keep an eye right here for more as we get it.