Have You Heard about the 'Saw VII' vs. 'Paranormal Activity 2' Mess?
The director shuffle doesn't paint a pretty picture for Lionsgate or Paramount
Okay, first for a little bit of a recap since I have pretty much abandoned the idea of regurgitating casting information on this site since you can get that on any number of movie related blogs. On January 18, The Hollywood Reporter made it known Saw VI helmer Kevin Greutert was hired to direct Paranormal Activity 2 for Paramount Pictures. Nothing major there until you learn Paramount also decided to not only poach a Saw franchise director, but also went for the jugular announcing the film for an October 22 release date, the same date Lionsgate had already established for Saw VII – 3D. A bit ballsy eh, but it at least makes more sense than the Weinstein's decision to release Halloween II in August last year. So Paramount posed the challenge… but what would come of it wasn't known.
Would Lionsgate buckle and move Saw VII or stand their ground and fight for pre-Halloween weekend #1? Well, we've got our answer, and it's a little bit of the above and then some. On top of that it's an answer I wasn't ready to believe until now.
On Monday a story over at Deadline.com reported Twisted Pictures and Lionsgate exercised a contractual option and are now forcing Greutert to direct Saw VII. To cap it off, the decision was made with just two weeks before shooting will begin in Canada, giving Greutert minimal time to prep.
Making it even worse, Greutert had already been bumped by Lionsgate, as the keys to the seventh film and the franchise's first foray into 3D were handed to Saw V director David Hackl, which is the reason Greutert was free to tackle Paranormal Activity 2. Now, with Greutert replacing Hackl, Deadline's Mike Fleming reports the studio will be assigning Hackl another film quickly. Classy right?
How does Greutert feel about this? Well, first know he has been involved with the Saw franchise since the beginning having served as editor on all of the films except for VI, which he directed. So to say he's had his hand in the torture genre for a long time is an understatement.
On his official website he has posted two messages, the first comes to us via Bloody-Disgusting as it has since been removed. It read as such:
I'm in the middle of something really terrible right now, as anyone who has come to this site probably knows. While I fight for justice in this, the important thing is to avoid giving in to hatred and anger, because these emotions are life killers.
Hopefully we will all arrive at an amicable solution. Thank you to everyone who is working with me on this.
Kevin
With that message now gone the following, and even more terse post has taken its place:
I just had the task of telling my 83 year old mother that no, I'm not going to be allowed to direct the movie we were all so excited about when my family last got together, and that I'm being forced to leave town before getting a chance to see her again. Yes, I'll be filming people getting tortured YET AGAIN. So we'll have to put off me making a film she can actually watch for another year.
I'm not making this shit up.
Fans have been commenting on Greutert's post, some of which saying they will no longer support a Lionsgate or Twisted Pictures release, which ironically means they also wouldn't be supporting Greutert as the film he is now directing would be part of said boycott. However, even more importantly, considering this is simply a studio pissing match what does Lionsgate gain by forcing someone to direct a movie? I haven't watched a Saw film since the third one, but no matter how exhausted a franchise is, directing a film takes dedicated work. I can't help but feel sorry for Greutert as he is now stuck between a rock and a hard place fighting both professionally and personally. Of course, there is also Hackl to think of who was pushed out of a directing gig due to Lionsgate's move.
Another question is what does this now mean for Paranormal Activity 2? Is Greutert signed on as director and no other director can take his place? His message seems to insinuate he is still directing the film, but won't be filming it on the schedule that was originally set. Does this mean it is no longer set for an October 22 release? I am sure that part of the equation will be figured out soon enough.
Any thoughts out there? Fan of the Saw franchise or not these kind of games cannot be looked upon kindly can they?
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For one thing, you think they would go someone new for the next Saw movie. 6 made considerably less and was a considerable drop in quality as well, even from 5. Why they are forcing Kevin to direct the next saw movie is beyond me. But if it is really the last in the series, then they are just trying to make a quick buck, so what really matters? It only matters to poor Kevin.
Well, let´s see no more SAW.
Frankly I can hardly understand how the hell can a studio FORCE someone to direct a film, esp. when he has already signed on to do another one. Can't he just give them a finger and walk, since he most clearly doesn't want to do it? I really don't understand that shit.
The Saw franchise failed to gain attention last year, I don't think just because of Paranormal Activity's success, but also because most people don't care about the franchise anymore.
Doing this will just make the fans of the franchise, or horror movies fans as a whole, care even less for this series.
The only thing that can (and probably will) save this franchise, financially, is the 3D.
I hope Saw VII bombs though.
I mean, just let it go Lionsgate, would you?
I just watched the first two and hated them both. Now we're at number 7 and it's going 3D?! Come on, how lame…
No it will not make the TRUE fans hate the franchise. The only way we could ever hate the franchise is if the story craps out and leaves thousands of unanswered questions in the last film. That is the only way we TRUE fans will crap out. Maybe you have never been loyal to something?
How can Lionsgate actually force someone to direct their movie?
First of all, the only way that can be done, surely, is if LG paid Greutert a massive up-front payment which involved him making Saw 7, in which case, can't he just pay that money back?
Secondly, I ain't too sure i really want to go to the cinema to see a film directed by someone who :
a) doesn't give a fuck about the movie,
b) wants to find a way to get back at the Execs @ Lionsgate (probably by chucking in a shitload of mistakes/plotholes/pointless segments
c) is more bothered about a franchise seen as a "rival" to the Saw franchise.
I go see movies expecting to see a director's heart and soul poured into a movie, and especially with the Saw franchise being so tied in with the previous films and very rigidly stuck to the franchise, can we expect a full and frank depiction of what we could be getting from Saw 7?
3D is being touted as the selling point for the seventh installment of the Saw franchise, but an uninterested director might just drive people away more than the snazzy glasses brings them in.
In summary…i'll go see Saw 7 whenever it is made and whoever it is made by…but I want someone genuinely up for the job to take the reigns…say, what's Wes Craven up to nowadays…
Thank you for being a supporter. However, if Wes Craven ever touched Saw, I would flip an itch (angry if you are wondering). His Hills movies leave you trapped in needing to know but not having answers just as the first Freddy movie did.
I think financially this is a good move by lionsgate in the short term. They would have lost a ton of money had both movies opened on the same day, with most people going to see paranormal activity as it is a fresher horror franchise.
Long term though it can kill the franchise, if this director is unhappy about it he could sabotage the movie and effectively kill off the franchise once and for all. Also, commercially it's a bad move as the media found out about it and it's given them a bad name.
I personally think this move was more about pride than finances. Saw has had the leading horror franchise for 6 years and then paranormal activity comes along and everyone loves it. If it were to become a franchise there is no doubt it would attract more interest than the declining saw franchise, lionsgate are just delaying the inevitable
Mr. Greutert was paid more than otherwise and/or was given work that might have gone to someone else because he signed a contract with an option to have him continue his efforts for Lionsgate. If he feels very strongly that this was a mistake, he can bread the contract, triggering any financial/civil penalties he agreed to. Generally, this probably means giving up all or most of the financial gain he received by signing the contract, and depending on the language involved, possibly not being free to work for a competing film in any case.
To me the only news is that he is surprised. He may be surprised because contracts are often not enforced or are renogotiated in Hollywood, due to the reality of peoples goodwill and future relationship together being more important than the short term money involved in a contract. For instance, people with book deals can often renegotiate their contract if their book is part of a series, and the studio wants to keep the author happy.
Based on my experience with predicting the halloween holiday box office last year, there is only room for one halloween holiday franchise. That is the reason for this hardball. Lionsgate is not going to just cede the halloween holiday without a fight. Because they are a small studio without a television network, they can't afford to give up a reliable revenue stream. So they won't if they can help it.
Disney>ABC
Universal> NBC
Paramount> CBS/MTV/VH-1/Showtime/TMC/UPN(joint owner)/Nickelodeon/Comedy Central
Warner Brothers>CNN/HBO/Cinemax/TBS/TNN/TCM/WB/CartoonNetwork/TNT
Comedy Central(50%)/E!(49%)/Court TV
Fox> Fox television/Fox cable
Sony> Owns many, many television shows giving them leverage with the networks
Lionsgate> ???
Let me guess, pumpking, you are going to see PA2. Is that the vibe I am catching?
He is better off sticking with the Saw franchise than going with Paranormal Activity 2. That will definetly be a disaster. I understand he may be tired of the Saw films, but Paranormal Activity 2 will be such a bomb. Later he'll see this is a blessing in disguise.
Oh and Brad, I clicked this article before even reading the title, just because it had a picture of Ron Burgundy lol That was awesome.
I wouldn't mind if this whole franchise was put to rest.
I think we are all forgetting the important thing here: Greutert's poor 83 year old mother. She was so excited about her son making Paranormal Activity 2, because she could watch it. But now, poor Greutert will have to toil in something his mother isn't going to watch. Doesn't Lionsgate care about family like Paramount clearly does?
Actually, the battle between Lionsgate and Paramount over who owns Halloween is, I guarantee, a much better story than the plot either of these movies are going to churn out. I'd like to see a movie about that. Maybe call it: Getting Sawed or Normal Activity in Hollywood.
Are you SERIOUS? If PA2 is as SCARY as EVERYONE says, then Greuterts MOTHER could die from a heart attack from seeing PA2. We would not want that.
Lionsgate has made a smart move here.
Contracts = power
They are simply exercising their contract to throw off the production schedule of Paranormal 2 in an effort to avoid a head-to-head weekend, which they know will likely bury the franchise. Lionsgate has a stable of horror directors they can throw on the project at a moment's notice if Greutert doesn't deliver.
Paramount on the other hand is likely trying to make a decent-quality sequel to their massive hit to launch a franchise with Saw-like longevity. In that case they've been working with Greutert for months and replacing him will be more difficult.
Sure Lionsgate will burn some bridges but their franchise is hanging in the balance so it's do or die at this point.
I totally agree- this is a really smart move by Lionsgate.
Fan of the SAW films or not, for 6 years they have clearly established the Friday before Halloween as the day of SAW, and letting both Paranormal 1&2 hit on that day could very well kill the franshise, as well as just being a douchebag move.
I say use the contract too, but it doesnt look good for Saw 7 having a director that is gonna hate every minute of being there lol
Good move, bad move, I don't really care. I just want this crappy franchise to end already.
Drop the SAW franchise. they startin losing any resemblance of quality after the first 2.
@maja:
Though I have a hard time believing SAW VII will be worse than Paranormal Activity 2, like the first wasn't bad enough. I mean really? This nonsense is a hundred times lower than the worst saw movie, which was SAW VI.
Your comment made no sense.
The first Saw was the only good one. I hated every other one, but at this point, they shouldn't put the series to rest. They should at least go to 9. The Saw series is terrible, but its cool because its the corny slasher horror series of our generation, like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th before us.
You have no brain…that is why you do not get that comparing this to Friday the 13th is incorrect. Saw is a smarter series while Friday the 13th simply relies on people being dumb enough to die (in this, they are caught and cannot escape).
@The Check Spot: I totally agree. And we could call the movie Geeze (getting sawed), or Nahhh (Normal Activity in Hollywood).
I actually liked Saw 6, but then I work in private health insurance! Yes, those films are (endearingly) awful, but at least there's a hundred different ways you can snuff out a young actor who'll work for food – creeping out a sleeping couple on fuzzy video, not so much. Anyone remember Blair Witch 2? Thought not…
I'm just gonna put my opinion out there that while the Saw movies haven't been worth watching since the first one, Paranormal Activity was far and away the worst movie of the past 5 years.
So uh, I'd stick with Saw myself. I mean, financially PA would make more sense because at this point, your boxoffice total can only equal Saw VI, which tanked. By the seventh movie you're not gonna find a new audience, short of bringing in a recognizable actor and while the 3D format will MAYBE attract some new fans it will also cost more and Saw VI barely broke even with it's small budget.
SAW VI was great and while I think it was a shitty move by Twisted Pictures I’m happy to have Kevin back!
I am just truely waiting for saw VI.
Kevin Greutert is getting on my nerves. I actually preferred Saw V over VII and the box office numbers agree with me. I wanted Hackl to do the last one, but NO! We have to give it to an ungrateful man. I will see Saw VII, but I may be less inclined to support anything else Greutert does.