Though screenwriter Max Landis only has one produced feature screenplay to his credit, 2012's superhero drama Chronicle, he's already earned a reputation as a bit of an outspoken celebrity. Last month Landis was far from shy when he shared his incendiary thoughts on the polarizing blockbuster Man of Steel. And now he's stepped it up to breaking news on Twitter regarding Chronicle 2.
The science-fiction drama that centered on three friends who accidentally receive superpowers after stumbling upon an alien object became a surprise smash hit for Twentieth Century Fox. Aside from a warm reception from critics wooed by the original take on the superhero genre, the $12 million production with no major stars brought in an astounding $126 million at the box office. So it was little surprise when news emerged a month after its debut that Fox had hired Landis to pen a part two, even though original director Josh Trank was moving on to the Fantastic Four reboot. However, the following fall brought signs of trouble for Chronicle 2.
Max Landis' famous father, Blues Brothers director John Landis, told the press that his son had written an "amazing" script for the sequel, but Fox wasn't happy with it. According to the elder Landis, the studio wanted the formula for the first film repeated, and Max was fighting to take the growing franchise in a new direction. Then a few months passed, and Max spoke up, saying his dad basically spoke out of turn. Aiming to set the record straight, he stated directly, " There’s no one at the studio who wants to make a bad movie. They all want to make a good movie just as much as I do. We’re not fighting." Yet he did admit there was a debate about what a Chronicle sequel should look like. He explained his dark script wasn't exactly what Fox had in mind, and finding a compromise that makes both their backers and filmmakers happy had become "an incredibly slow process."
This brings us to today, and Landis's public acknowledgement that he's no longer involved with Chronicle 2 and new writers will be unveiled in short order. But don't cry for Landis; his star is still on the rise. He's got a pair of scripts in development: one an untitled Frankenstein project that has Daniel Radcliffe attached to play Igor, the other an action-comedy called Good Time Gang that has Mark Wahlberg and Jonah Hill on board. Plus, Landis is set to make his feature directorial debut with Me Him Her, which could shoot this summer. As to how that film's development is going, we refer twice more to his tweets:
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