"Snow White and the Huntsman 2" Gearing Up, Hunting for Different Director

There has been interest in Snow White and the Huntsman 2 ever since the first movie. (You can see a previous post HERE.) There's been at least one script, Kristen Stewart is definitely attached and apparently Chris Helmsworth is also contractually obligated to return to reprise his role as the Huntsman as well (which will help the movie enormously).

The directors rumored to being considered are an interesting bunch, (original director Rupert Sanders is not among them) suggesting that they're working on making this it's own - hopefully decent - movie, rather than (just) a money-spinner sequel.

From Deadline this past week:

 Universal is getting down to finding a helmer for Snow White And The Huntsman 2. I’m hearing the shortlist consists of Frank Darabont,Gavin O’Connor and Andy Muschietti. 

...This is an intriguing group of filmmakers. Darabont, after helming The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, hatched The Walking Dead and helped forge it into cable TV’s top-rated drama before getting fired. He hasn’t helmed a feature since 2007′sThe Mist. Then there is O’Connor, who directed the cult favorite film Warrior as well as Miracle and stepped in and saved the Natalie Portman starrer Jane Got A Gun. Then there is Muschietti, the Mama helmer who was tapped by Universal to reboot its The Mummy franchise, before he fell out of that project. 

I'll admit I'm intrigued by the idea of Frank Darabont helming and what he could bring to the film.

Universal are also pushing for a 2016 release date so we're talking about SWATH2 being on the fast track to see it happen by then (what the reality turns out to be, we shall see).

A sequel has the strong potential to be an interesting exploration of the Snow White character - possibly - but chances are we're in for more faux-medieval intrigue, politics and war rather than Enchanted Forest explorations. Still, with Maleficent doing so well and the forest and faerie being an enormous part of that movie, this may also be the reason SWATH2 has been put on the fast track. ie. want more enchanted forests? We can do that! Also, the similarities between Maleficent and Snow White and the Huntsman are most definitely present and in a way which shouldn't hurt a  SWATH sequel at this point, unless, perhaps, you look at them so specifically, like this:

Ah the power of editing! You might be surprised at just how many films you could "parallel" this way. Still, they're both "sleeper" stories and DO have many things in common, as far as fairy tales go (Heidi of SurLaLune can tell you all about it!), and it doesn't hurt that the two "queens" here have been posed in similar ways either (ah Hollywood, we love you, but..!)

It could go so many ways. While I can easily imagine a premise and plot worthy of fairy tale research and exploration, unless Disney's obvious push in that direction is an influencing factor, I can't see that happening (unfortunately. It could really be quite wonderful...)

Hollywood seems a little confused at present: fairy tales = BIG! as are super heroes. Fantasy still dominates the box office when it appears - whether that be a family film or adult, so the property of Snow White and the Huntsman has a lot of options but it doesn't seem great at committing to one thing, (perhaps for fear of alienating potential audiences). I'd be very surprised, though, if they strayed completely away from fairy tale and fantasy and went into the Game Of Thrones/Reign genre (or whatever they're calling that style). That just doesn't seem like good business sense in the current climate. I guess we shall see... #moregirlsinmorearmor?

What are you looking forward to?

Me - I'd love to see more of this guy: