With Lynne Ramsay shockingly and mysteriously bailing on the western “Jane Got A Gun” yesterday, producer Scott Steindorff of Scott Pictures promised a director would be found imminently. He wasn’t kidding. Less than 24 hours later, the film has a brand new helmer to get the movie going, and likely keep any delays minimal.
Deadline reports that “Warrior” director Gavin O’Connor has replaced Ramsay on the picture. If the producers were looking for someone who could step in and keep things gritty, they found it in O’Connor. The film will follow Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman), a good girl married to one of the worst baddies in town. When her husband Bill turns against his own gang, the vicious Bishop Boys, and returns home barely alive with eight bullets in his back, Jane decides to grab a gun and take matters into her own hands. As the relentless leader John Bishop (Jude Law) gears up for revenge, Jane’s best hope for her family’s survival rests with her old love Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton) – a gunslinger whose hatred for Bill is only slightly overshadowed by his love for Jane.
Meanwhile, the circumstances around Ramsay’s departure are still unknown, with no word from her camp. However, Screen Daily says that according to their sources, the originally cast Michael Fassbender left the film after “falling-out with the director” while Deadline adds that “a series of negotiating twists and turns” last weekend couldn’t keep Ramsay on the film.
But everyone will put this behind them for now and just focus on getting the movie made — production will resume/start on Thursday.
So they traded in an interesting director for a sturdy director. Will be interesting to see what comes of it.
Warrior may have been cliche on paper but O'Connor & his cast elevated the material to one of 2011's better dramas and O'Connor pulled off the most impressive pilot I've seen in years in The Americans this January, I'd say they got lucky to snag someone of his caliber all things considered. Though Khondji is a great cinematographer I hope O'Connor gets to hire his own crew (within reason given contracts and the short time frame) for the sake of his own workflow.
I'm not so worried about this one. Warrior raked in better reviews and more money than We Need To Talk About Kevin did. The latter was a horrible adaptation of a great novel. To be frank, they traded a uHaul for a Porsche. It will all work out.
(p.s. the DP's filmography is outrageously impressive: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_Khondji#Filmography)
So they got a director for hire? I thought Warrior was well made, but extremely cliche and cheesy. I imagine more of the same for this one.
Yes, Edgerton suggestion I'd say. I could think of other directors who I'd prefer but O'Connor's a decent choice in my opinion and a solid replacement. What I don't understand is what they do about the months of prep and script work with Ramsay. They don't do that stuff for a laugh. A movie is a director's vision after all, and O'Connor and Ramsay are very different filmmakers. Man, this is a weird scenario. I hope it works out.
Well, at least he has Darius Khondji. Joel Edgerton recommendation? Wonder what Jude Law thinks of all this? Joining last moment, director doesn't show. It is a good crew, though, Khondji as DP, Tim Grimes (The Wrestler) as PD, Catherine George (Snowpiercer) as CD. O'Connor did use four editors on "Warrior" and (as MYK mentions) an overbearing Mark Isham score. His hires for editing and score will probably determine the film outside of all the pre-production work already done by the crew that's sitting around right now. I still very much have hopes for this film. O'Connor has shown some grit, and good sports chops. Just keep this a little meditative and we could have a solid western.
Look I admire Fassbender like the next person, but I fear he has difficulty with women in general (beat up his ex) and is somewhat of an alcoholic. Fassdong needs to simmer down and focus on truly becoming his generations best actor. **waits for the hater-brigade***
Dear god what a clusterfuck