Confirmed: Ratner Replaces Wiseman on New York

Confirmed: Ratner Replaces Wiseman on New York Plus an Update on Gears of War!


IESB.net




Written by Robert Sanchez
Thursday, 04 October 2007



A few months ago, we reported that Len Wiseman was in negotiations to
direct the Escape from New York remake and also Gears of War.


The big news today, that started over at AICN, is that Len Wiseman will
no longer be directing Escape and that Brett Ratner has replaced him.

The IESB contacted a source over at New Line, the studio behind the
film, and was able to confirm the story which is no longer a rumor but
instead 100% fact. Brett Ratner will take over directorial duties on the
remake.

Which leads to a lot of other questions. Will the script go through a
re-write process? Hopefully not considering that it’s pretty solid but
you never know with the Rat in charge of the film. Check out IESB's
review of the script here.

Does this mean Len Wiseman will now be moving forward with the highly
anticipated Gear of War film? Nope, the IESB has been informed Wiseman
is off Gears as well*** and that New Line Cinema will most likely not
move forward with the film at all. Our source is saying that the studio
has concerns with ballooning budget of the film.

Video game adaptations are not proven blockbusters the way comic book
films have become in the last 10 years. Studios have a hard time
gambling $100 million dollars plus to a genre that has not been able to break
out of the “Uwe Boll” stereotypes.

The best hope that future video game films may have, and this is
totally IMO, is to have Michael Bay make Prince of Persia after he is done
with Transformers 2 and prove that a video game movie can make $300-400
million in worldwide box office receipts.

Until then be prepared for less than mediocre video game films with
hacks as directors.

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