2nd Star Wars anthology film delayed until after 2018; director fired

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From WDW News Today & The Hollywood Reporter:

Josh Trank (“Chronicle”) was let go by Disney and Lucasfilm as the director of the second “Star Wars Anthology” film. The result of him being dropped means that there will be no “Star Wars” film in 2018. Disney originally planned to release a Star Wars film ever year beginning with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Recently Josh Trank was scheduled to be a guest speaker at a Star Wars Celebration panel to discuss his upcoming Star Wars spinoff movie but was a no show. Attendees were told that Trank was suffering from the flu but a lot of people speculated that something was up. Variety has indeed confirm that Trank was let go by Disney and Lucasfilm.

The Hollywood Reporter says that most of this stems from Trank’s antics on the set of his movie, “Fantastic Four.” Trank was described by some as being erratic and very isolated and would not respond to questions on the set and resorted to hiding at times. He also rented a house in New Orleans while filming Fantastic Four and caused over $100,000 worth of damage to the house.

It does appear that Trank’s mild success from filming the movie “Chronicle” has gone to his head and both Disney and Lucasfilm were worried to hand over a Star Wars film to him.
 
After the dirt that is starting to fly about Trank's attitude on set ... it's almost as if Fantastic Four can be written off before it even premiers. It's a shame as 'Chronicle' was a great little film with a lot going for it with a small budget. Gareth Edwards did something similar with 'Monsters', which eventually led to 'Godzilla' and now 'Star Wars: Rogue One'.

If I had to take a wild guess on Trank's replacement, it would be Matt Reeves. Matt and JJ Abrams are very good friends ... co-created 'Felicity' together. Reeves did a good job with 'Cloverfield' and an amazing directing job with 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'. I think he's current locked in to an 'Apes' sequel which may get in the way of a Star Wars flick ... he'd be a great choice though.
 
After the dirt that is starting to fly about Trank's attitude on set ... it's almost as if Fantastic Four can be written off before it even premiers. It's a shame as 'Chronicle' was a great little film with a lot going for it with a small budget. Gareth Edwards did something similar with 'Monsters', which eventually led to 'Godzilla' and now 'Star Wars: Rogue One'.

If I had to take a wild guess on Trank's replacement, it would be Matt Reeves. Matt and JJ Abrams are very good friends ... co-created 'Felicity' together. Reeves did a good job with 'Cloverfield' and an amazing directing job with 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'. I think he's current locked in to an 'Apes' sequel which may get in the way of a Star Wars flick ... he'd be a great choice though.
I'm not a huge fan of Cloverfield but the Apes movie is good. I will keep on hoping that Fantastic Four is at least decent. That group of superheroes deserves way better than they've gotten.
 


This is the 2016 film we are talking about right? Hopefully they'll sort it out.

I wonder if Disney will move Moana to avoid competition with Fantastic Creatures.
 
This is the 2016 film we are talking about right? Hopefully they'll sort it out.

I wonder if Disney will move Moana to avoid competition with Fantastic Creatures.

No, the first anthology film, Rouge One, is still scheduled for December 2016. This would be the second anthology film which was scheduled for 2018 but has been delayed.
 
While I think another Fantastic Four movie would've doomed (no pun intended) many directors, it doesn't sound like bigger budget films and studios are in his best interest.
 


I'm not a huge fan of Cloverfield but the Apes movie is good. I will keep on hoping that Fantastic Four is at least decent. That group of superheroes deserves way better than they've gotten.

The fantastic four has kate Mara...so in my book the worst it could be is "decent" ;)

Who Doesn't love a redhead from nfl Royalty?

...sorry... Daydreaming...
 
I know I'm going into full comic-geek mode, but from everything I've seen so far from the new Fantastic Four looks like they've completely missed the mark. The tone looks too dark ... FF should have a more positive, almost retro feel similar to the 1st Captain America movie. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're going to take a darker / gritty angle on the FF, then you shouldn't do it at all. With so many other comic properties out there, why take something and twist it into something cool/hip for the kids ($$$$ obviously) Maybe the movie will still end up being a surprise. I've been wrong before, but I'm not holding my breath with FF
 
Dunno what even think about director's dissmisal. At this point, it's almost unclear what these anthology films would look like, so I don't think that there's any reason to worry about director's change.
 
I am probably crazy for even suggesting this but they should give Kevin Smith a call. Yes this is outside his genre but he's a Star Wars fan to the core and would do his best to make a film that would fit with the rest of the franchise.
 
I am probably crazy for even suggesting this but they should give Kevin Smith a call. Yes this is outside his genre but he's a Star Wars fan to the core and would do his best to make a film that would fit with the rest of the franchise.

If you want lasting movies... The superfan directors would probably be the best way to go...

But that's just it...super fans will guard against Rick mccallum crap to the bitter end...and that could create creative differences that Disney would have a hard time controlling.
 
I know I'm going into full comic-geek mode, but from everything I've seen so far from the new Fantastic Four looks like they've completely missed the mark. The tone looks too dark ... FF should have a more positive, almost retro feel similar to the 1st Captain America movie. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're going to take a darker / gritty angle on the FF, then you shouldn't do it at all. With so many other comic properties out there, why take something and twist it into something cool/hip for the kids ($$$$ obviously) Maybe the movie will still end up being a surprise. I've been wrong before, but I'm not holding my breath with FF

I don't really dig marvel that Much...

But after the trailer the other day I TOTALLY agree with your take on the fantastic four...

It doesn't seem to fit - the tone...

I got kinda a "superman returns" kinda vibe from it.
 
If you want lasting movies... The superfan directors would probably be the best way to go...

But that's just it...super fans will guard against Rick mccallum crap to the bitter end...and that could create creative differences that Disney would have a hard time controlling.
You're probably right. It seems that the suits at Disney are being way more watchful with Lucasfilm than they are with Marvel. But what Abrams and Feloni have shown in the two trailers and Rebels, respectively, is that the first generation knows the universe, respects it, and produces quality.
 
You're probably right. It seems that the suits at Disney are being way more watchful with Lucasfilm than they are with Marvel. But what Abrams and Feloni have shown in the two trailers and Rebels, respectively, is that the first generation knows the universe, respects it, and produces quality.

I'm just worried that they can't come up with a story that can be bought...as much as sci Fi can...

And that they'll not resist the urge to CG tweak everything...

Did you see avengers 2 yet? The level of CG corn gets to thick at several points.

Lucas supposedly was Fet up after empire because of the budget size and difficulty...something like 90 mil in 1970's dollars (wowsa)

But without semi decent dialogue and the puppets and the sets...it never would have been the same Star Wars....

I think Christopher Nolan proved that again recently - even the greatest of IPs has to have 3 dimensions/depth on film...and you can't right the movies for 6 year olds to follow...they'll buy the toys no matter what...

Much moreso if dad has the warm and fuzzies and feels like a kid again afterward.

I have a recurring nightmare that I'm locked in a theater and waiting for an ambiguous version of a prequel movie to end...
And it just...
Never ends!!!
 
Addition to the thread . . . .

Inside a 'Star Wars' Firing: 'Fantastic Four' Problems Led to Director Josh Trank's Ouster

by Kim Masters , Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter
5/1/2015 7:39pm PDT

While director Josh Trank said Friday that he had “made a personal decision” to leave the Star Wars universe, sources say reports of the young director’s unusual conduct during the making of Fox’s upcoming Fantastic Four movie had raised alarm among Lucasfilm executives that were entrusting him with the second Star Wars stand-alone film.

Trank, 30, had raised eyebrows in April when he didn’t appear as scheduled at a Star Wars celebration in Anaheim. At the time, both Disney and the director cited illness as the cause but multiple knowledgeable sources say the studio had asked the filmmaker not to attend while considering whether to proceed with him on the second spinoff in a planned series of films.

Indeed, producers on Fantastic Four, set for release on Aug. 7, are said to have faced great challenges pulling the film together given behavior described by one insider as “erratic” and at times “very isolated.” Trank did not offer clear direction, this person adds, saying, "If you've got someone who can't answer questions or who isn't sure or is in hiding, that's not good."

Fox spokesman says the studio is “very happy with the movie and we can’t wait for audiences to see it” but acknowledges, “There were definitely some bumps in the road.”

Among those bumps: Trank has several small dogs who were left in a rented house in New Orleans while the film was shooting there. According to sources, as much as $100,000 worth of damage was done to the property. A source says the production considers any destruction of the property to be Trank's responsibility.

Citing Trank’s work on the 2012 found-footage superhero movie Chronicle, an insider says: “No question there’s talent there. You can’t do Chronicle by accident.” But Trank seemed “like one of these kids who comes to the NBA with all the talent and none of the character-based skills to handle it. There’s equipment he doesn’t yet have.”

According to sources, Trank was sometimes indecisive and uncommunicative. Producers Simon Kinberg and Hutch Parker had to step in to help pull the film together, though sources stress that Trank was still on set and directing the film. (Were that not the case, the production could have run afoul of the Directors Guild of America.)

Just over three months from opening, Fox’s Fantastic Four has done re-shoots. Those were complicated because stars Miles Teller, Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan had obligations on other films. The most recent round, which involved three days of re-shoots at the end of April, had to take place on weekends because of Teller’s work on Todd Phillip’s Arms and the Dude. Parker and Kinberg are said to have been heavily involved in those re-shoots, pulling them away from duties in Canada on X-Men: Apocalypse, which they also are producing.

Given the issues with Trank’s performance, the production added Stephen Rivkin (Avatar) to help pull the film together. Trank had hired his Chronicle editor, Elliot Greenberg, on the project.

Fantastic Four is meant to reboot the Marvel superhero franchise for Fox. The comic is venerated for its place in history as it launched Marvel Comics in 1962 and was the early creation from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Fox made two movies, released in 2005 and 2007, that made $330 million and $289 million respectively but failed to capture moviegoers’ imagination. Fox hastened to make a new movie as it risked having the rights revert back to Marvel.

Kinberg, who is producing the second Star Wars stand-alone project (the first, Rogue One, is being directed by Gareth Edwards for a December 2016 release), is said to have communicated his displeasure with Trank to Kathleen Kennedy and the team at Lucasfilm. As the Star Wars brain trust heard more about Trank's behavior and working style, they became less confident in handing over the film to him.

Now, having decided to part ways, the studio is searching for another filmmaker to take over the project.

Disney declined to comment.
 
So he's a complete spazz...he sounds almost chemical

Ok now I feel better about them canning him...

Wait - why did they hire him?

This whole process seems to e fairly simple: disney/Kennedy should call every agent in the business and say "we're making a boatload of Star Wars movies... We have full autonomy from the Emperor... Anybody a fan?"

And just sift through the sign up sheet and pick the best ones.
 

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