Sequel Bits: Chuck Norris Is Done With ‘The Expendables,’ Plus ‘Snow White And The Huntsman,’ ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire,’ ‘The Inbetweeners 2’
The sequel news today involves from pretty big franchises, or some high-profile ones at least. After the break read about the following:
It’s not thatChuck Norrisdidn’t have a good time makingThe Expendables 2— or perhaps he’s just being polite, and still isn’t happy about the film being R rather than PG-13 — but he says thanks, but no thanks to a part in a third film.
Asked about moving forward with the Expendable crew, Norris toldAccess Hollywood(viaDark Horizons),
Nope. Just number 2. This is it for me. Oh, yeah. This is very special… Just to be able to do the film with guys I’ve known for many, many years. To get a chance to get in and fight with them, it was a lot of fun. Plus getting a chance to meet Terry Crews, who I hadn’t met before. And Jason Statham, whom I hadn’t met before. It was fun just to do that.
Producers are already talking about a third film, withNicolas Cagereportedly in line for a role, and hopes for the participation of guys likeClint EastwoodandHarrison Ford. How any of that will shake out remains to be seen, but it seems reasonable to expect the third film to go forward, with or without Norris or the other targeted actors.
David Koepp’s filmPremium Rushopens this week, and Koepp was also writing the proposed sequel toSnow White and the Huntsman. That turned into kind of a thing whenSWATHstarKristen Stewartwas photographed making out with her marriedSnow WhitedirectorRupert Sanders. There have been conflicting reports about whether the sequel will feature Stewart or focus only on the Huntsman, played by Chris Hemsworth, and all we really know right now is that Universal wants to make another movie.
Well, we know a bit more now, as Koepp has said in multiple interviews that he walked away from writing theSWATHsequel. He toldMovielinehe had an idea that he “really liked,” and that “their situation, I hear, changed a little, so they weren’t interested in pursuing that idea anymore.” In other words, maybe the reports of Stewart being out of the sequel are credible. Koepp explained,
I felt like there was a good path with her, but then they wanted to explore a different thing that I had no ideas for. If you don’t have any ideas, you should probably put your pen in your backpack and go home… we agreed to part ways and stay friends.
Then there’sThe Girl Who Played With Fire, the second chapter ofSteig Larsson’sMillenniumtrilogy. Sony was pretty hot on the property whenDavid Fincherwas hired to directThe Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but we’ve wondered if Sony might not be quite as hot on it now, afterDragon Tattoofailed to make much noise upon release.
EWhas learned thatDragon TattooscreenwriterSteven Zaillianis still cranking away at the script forThe Girl Who Played with Fire, and without that draft in hand the film is at a standstill. At this point David Fincher may or may not direct, but we’re not likely to know anything until Zaillian hands in a draft. More to the point, EW says “the film is still definitely moving forward,” though there isn’t a rush and there isn’t a release window targeted.Rooney MaraandDaniel Craighave both been said to be locked in for the second film, which is what we’d expect as per standard studio procedure.
Finally,The Inbetweenershas turned from successful UK show into a successful UK film, and what looks like it might be a less-than-successful MTV adaptation for the US. The film is opening in the States on September 7, but the guys behind it say there are already ideas for a sequel.
The Inbetweenersco-creatorDamon Beesleytoldthe Sunabout the possible sequel: “I don’t want to give too much away at this stage but we have been developing an idea for a sequel.” And perVariety,Iain Morristweeted when asked about Beesley’s comments, “Yes, but it’s far from signed and like Damon said we want to ensure we have a good enough story to tell.”
