I always feel better when a project develops with a director through the entire process, but sometimes you have to make changes for better or worse. Two upcoming films are looking for directors and both have shortlists of names. While Marvel’s ANT-MAN may be scrambling to find a filmmaker to fill the vacant shoes of Edgar Wright, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN is taking their time in choosing a successor to Rupert Sanders.
Deadline is reporting that Universal’s shortlist of directors for SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN 2 include Frank Darabont, Gavin O’Connor and Andy Muschietti. Darabont is an intriguing choice and I would love to see him handle a big scale movie, just not this one. O’Connor is best known for directing Disney’s hockey movie MIRACLE and the fan favorite MMA flick WARRIOR with Tom Hardy. He most recently took over duties on JANE GOT A GUN starring Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor, so he is familiar with stepping in for another helmer. Muschietti has only directed one film: the Guillermo Del Toro produced MAMA and was long attached to Universal’s MUMMY reboot before leaving due to creative differences. It is curious that he would be looked at for another high profile film that he wouldn’t have full creative control over.
As for ANT-MAN, Adam McKay, Rawson Marshall Thurber, and Ruben Fleischer have conflicting projects or have turned down the project, but a couple more names have been dropped into the mix, also following with the prerequisite that they have comedy experience. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL and NEIGHBORS director Nicholas Stoller has been name-dropped along with WHAT IF and GOON director Michael Dowse. Both directors have a lot of upside but neither has handled a project as big as ANT-MAN. If either of them passes, that may put a big red flag on whether ANT-MAN movies forward.
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN 2 is slated for a 2016 release while ANT-MAN is on pace for a July 17, 2015 premiere.
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