TSRn: 'Godzilla' Updates with Producer Exits, Frank Darabont Rewrites, and Casting Wishlist
The Scorecard Review news
News: Dan Lin and Roy Lee are out as producers, leaving Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, and Brian Rogers on Gareth Edwards' 3D Godzilla. More excitingly, Frank Darabont is being brought in to do the final rewrite of the script ahead of a March 14 start date. Lastly, there is a short list of actors who might be in contention for a role in the film. And one who already turned it down. Sources: Deadline, Hitfix, Ain't It Cool, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety LINK 1 LINK 2
Thoughts by TSR: Despite not being a huge fan of the big monster, Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla is something I’m already anticipating. A few updates have come out that were enough to capture my attention. The first is courtesy Hitfix’s Drew McWeeney. He reveals that two of the film’s producers, Dan Lin and Roy Lee, are leaving the project. As he points out, both of them are plenty busy with other projects at Warner Bros, so hopefully this isn’t a sign of turmoil to come. Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr., however, says it will likely end up in the courts after the two “refused to reduce the fees they signed on for when the original deal was made." On the brighter side, McWeeney also says that it appears a March start date is a go (Quint at Ain’t It Cool News says March 14 in Vancouver and Hawaii). Another piece of news from the Deadline report is that Frank Darabont is being brought in to do the final rewrite of Max Borenstein’s script. I love Darabont – especially The Mist – so this is worth getting excited about.
That’s mostly it for real news, but there is a potential list of actors being considered for the film. One guy who will not be starring? Joseph Gordon-Levitt. According to THR’s Borys Kit, The Dark Knight Rises actor was in the running for a part last year and subsequently turned it down. As for some names who are still being considered, Variety’s Justin Kroll took to Twitter to mention Man of Steel's Henry Cavill, Caleb Landry Jones from X-Men: First Class, and Scoot McNairy (the latter two he calls “creative choices”). McNairy, who starred in Edwards’ Monsters, was probably always going to be on the list, but I’d really like to see him get it. He was terrific in Argo and Killing Them Softly last year, and deserves to break out in a big way. It doesn’t get much bigger than Godzilla.