Since Dick Cook resigned as head of Disney studios, many people have been waiting to see which high profile films would get cancelled. Although some people suspected there may be problem with Pirates Of The Caribbean 4, there’s no doubt Disney will want to keep that franchise alive, with the main question being whether Johnny Depp will return.
However now Variety reports that one movie that has become a casualty of the shake-up is the remake of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, which McG was planning to direct. Shortly before Dick Cook left, Braveheart scribe Randall Wallace was brought in to work on the screenplay, with the plan being to start filming next February.
However Disney has now put the entire project in indefinite hold, and McG has confirmed that he’s withdrawn from the film. No reason was given for why the studio was putting the brakes on, although the most likely reason is that new chief, Rich Ross, didn’t have the faith in the project that Dick Cook did.
McG will now have to go and find something else to do, as while he’s attached to several projects, including Dead Man Running, there’s nothing that can go into production imminently. Following his work on Terminator: Salvation, he’s also been attached to the proposed Terminator 5, however that film is also on indefinite hold while the franchise rights work their way through bankruptcy court, and a new owner is found for them.
Hmm, does this mean that while McG normally manages to screw up films while he’s directing them, he’s now found a way to do it before they even go in front of the camera?