The remake of Footloose seems to be beset by problems. Not only has it met a lot of resistance from fans of the 1984 original, but while it was initially announced that the film would star Zac Efron, he later dropped out, saying he didn’t want to only be associated with musicals after High School Musical. Now the director of the film has followed in his footsteps, as Kenny Ortega has quit the film.
According to Variety, Ortega quit over differences with Paramount about the budget and tone of the Footloose remake. The director wanted to make a film full of elaborate dance numbers that would have cost around $30 million to make, while Paramount wanted an edgier film with less emphasis on musical numbers, which would cost $25 million or less. While the two sides struggled for a while over the issues, Ortega has now decided to step aside and let someone else have a go at a new version of the story of a group of teens living in a conservative town, who rebel against a no-dancing law.
Chase Crawford and Julianne Hough are still set to star in the remake, which is currently scheduled to go before the cameras next March.
With the news coming only a couple of days before the Ortega directed documentary, Michael Jackson’s This Is It, hits cinemas (Ortega was working with Jackson on the This Is It concert series, and since the star’s death he has edited the rehearsal footage into a movie), it’s difficult not to wonder if this is a power play. This Is It is expected to open massively, which would put the director in a more powerful position to get what he wants on Footloose. His departure from the film may have nothing to do with this, but the timing is suspicious.
It’s also difficult to understand why Paramount won’t back Ortega’s vision. $30 million isn’t a lot in movie budget terms, and he is the director who steered High School Musical to become one of the biggest franchises on the planet.