Ah it takes time for sense to prevail sometimes, but finally some sense has found it's way to the surface of the WB lot! Break open the beer and pass the nachos!!! Finally someone did the honourable thing and weilded an axe at the current butchers of the Superman project.
That's right, everyone's least favourite director, McG, has been uncerimoniously dumped from pre-production on Superman project after failing to come up with the goods in time. McG was never officially signed back on board the project a second time round after Brett Ratner passed up and after failing to impress the execs he has been removed from the project altogether.
Word is that the overrated director was due to hand in yet another rewrite of JJ "Alias" Abrams atrocious script treatment. The redraft by Josh Schwartz, veteran of high class drama series (!) The OC was said to have added yet another kryptonian suit, this time in stylish black. Those who are familiar with the saga of the Superman saga may remember that back in 1997 producers were pressuring then director Tim Burton to change the suit - and one of their misguided suggestions was a black suit. Anyway, it turns out McG was dropped from the project before he had a chance to hand in this draft and Abrams script has been abandoned altogether, presumably as it was made in close collaboration with the Charlie's Angels director in the first place.
So where are we now with the project?
The main culprits for bringing the project in to disrepute have, after a torturous two year wait, finally been axed, so essentially we are back to square one. Somewhere we're all familiar with in a project that has gone through directors and script writers like J.Lo goes through divorces. No word has been made yet over whether Neal Moritz and co have officially been brought on board as producers, but this would be just as bad as rehiring McG. They are hack producers of big budget brainfarts for undersexed, oversugared teenagers. Not suitable material for handling a project with such a volatile production process and a reputation in tatters as it is. The current producers have put casting on hold. Although they have a pool of potential actors for the main role, they have stated that no casting will take place until a director is firmly in place first. The director will then have first refusal on the producer's hopefuls.
Everyone on board is hopeful they will have a director by the end of the year and be ready for a 2006 release.
Now where have I heard that before?
I know my opinion counts for jack in the eyes of studio focus-groups, but you're gonna get it anyway; Warners - swallow your stupid pride and get back in talks with M. Night Shyamalan. Give him the full creative control you refused to give him when he enquired about the possibility of taking over the project nearly three years ago. Unbreakable proved he has what it takes to tackle a comic book feature and he needs a big budget project to prove to the world there's more to him than smartly done Twilight Zone extended features.
What? .
SUBMIT A SCOOP
