Apparently Lionsgate has some issues controlling their douchebag tendencies. Based on a brief yet heated blog post from Saw VI helmer Kevin Greutert, Lionsgate lawyers have muscled him off of Paranormal Activity 2 so they can force him back into the director’s chair for this year’s Saw VII, which if I’m not mistaken will be 3D, so bring your Gallagher ponchos.
Here's the post in its entirety:
I just had the task of telling my 83 year old mother that no, I’m not going to be allowed to direct the movie we were all so excited about when my family last got together, and that I’m being forced to leave town before getting a chance to see her again. Yes, I’ll be filming people getting tortured YET AGAIN. So we’ll have to put off me making a film she can actually watch for another year.I’m not making this shit up.
It’s not hard to see that Lionsgate may be a little jealous about their director going to Paramount for PA2 since last year’s indie breakout made $107 million, almost all of it in profit, while the “popular” Saw franchise only took $27 million. Understandably, Greutert is none too happy about this display of Hollywood bullying, and neither are the readers over at his blog, who seem even more in an uproar than he is.
Expect an official statement from one of the studios involved very soon giving us more details on the move, and the future of PA2. Personally, I’d be a happy camper if that project just went away. I don’t doubt that someone could do it well down the road, but forcing it out by Halloween 2010 seems rushed and smells a lot like a Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows situation. Just let it sit for a little while instead of trying to get the next gimmick-filled money maker out, Paramount. Please.
