Marvel lost the top creators for a movie and a TV series in the space of 48 hours last week, but is moving fast to keep both projects on track.
Director Edgar Wright has left the production of Ant-Man over "differences in their vision of the film," the studio and Wright jointly announced as reported by Deadline. Wright has been working on the film since 2006 (see "Marvel Movie Slate Takes Shape"), so it’s a little surprising that there were creative differences at this late date, when the film presumably had a greenlit script long ago and has a high-powered cast recruited by Wright (see "Michael Douglas is Hank Pym").
The creative differences may have been over a rewrite assigned by Marvel, according to Latino Review. The film is deeply embedded in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (see "Feige Explains How 'Ant-Man' Movie Influenced the MCU"), and the rewrite focused on franchise characters, as well as the core morality of the film. According to the report, Wright and co-writer Joe Cornish didn’t like the rewrite Marvel gave them, and had been unsuccessful with two rewrites of their own based on Marvel’s notes, so left the production.
This one is very far along, and to make the July 17, 2015 premiere date, Marvel will have to put a new director in place almost immediately.
Drew Goddard has withdrawn from Daredevil, the 13-episode series that’s one of four series Marvel is producing for Netflix (see "'Jessica Jones' and 'Daredevil' Get Showrunners"). Goddard is headed for elsewhere in the Marvel universe, with a Sinister Six film coming up (see "'Sinister Six' Gets Director").
Goddard has been replaced by Steve S. DeKnight, according to Hollywood Reporter. DeKnight was the showrunner on three seasons of Spartacus for Starz, and worked with Goddard on Angel and Buffy. Goddard will remain as consultant.
For 'Ant-Man,' 'Daredevil'
Posted by ICv2 on May 27, 2014 @ 2:20 am CT