Over at Deadline Hollywood, Mike Fleming has a report that because Lionsgate was irked that Paramount Pictures hired long-time Saw editor and recent Saw VI director Kevin Greutert to direct a sequel to Paranormal Activity, the studio has exercised an option on the filmmaker and will oblige him to direct Saw 3D (aka Saw VII). It almost harks back to the old ways where studios essentially owned the actors making it so they could cherry pick projects. Now we see Lionsgate forcing its hand so that one of its cash-cow franchises doesn’t get blitzed again this October.
Yet, part of the attraction of Paranormal was its amazing advertising campaign. Not that Saw VI was bad (actually, the sequel is better received among the Saw faithful than some of the previous sequels), but nothing could stop Paranormal Activity’s roller-coaster ride of success.
I’m sure Greutert wasn’t blindsided to the fact that Lionsgate would show its hand and reveal a full house. The Saw franchise is one of the pillars that the studio stands on, no way was Lionsgate going to allow Paramount to hire Greutert without some sort of retaliation.
Either way, to make the October 22nd release both Lionsgate and Paramount need to start their productions within the next few weeks.
People who follow movies know it is a killer business. And this development between these two horror properties proves it. Sadly, the announcement of this windfall will probably be the most entertaining revelation than either movie could produce.
Credit: Deadline Hollywood
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