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Horton Hears A Who Director To Take On Jonah Hex
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. As many of you know Crank directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor wrote a script for Jonah Hex and were set to direct it. It was a western/supernatural project based on the comic book character. Hex is a bounty hunter with a half disfigured face and wears a confederate uniform.
Anyway, then came word that Neveldine and Taylor left the project, which was really disappointing to hear, over creative differences with Warner Bros. Looks like WB is still going to use their script though. Ok, whatever… projects change directors all the time… no big deal I guess.
But who did they get to replace them? Jimmy Hayward. Director of such films as the animated “Horton Hears A Who” and… well… nothing else at all. He’s worked in the animation department for a few Pixar films, but that pretty much sums up his resume. The folks over at Movieweb give us this:
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Brolin is attached to star in the film, which previously had Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank) on board as directors. The duo, who also wrote the script, bowed out over creative differences in November. The studio, which hopes to put the movie into production in March or April, went on a fast-track search, putting together a short list that included such names as Andy Fickman and McG before narrowing it down to Hayward.
I think my interest in this movie just took a nose dive. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not say Hayward isn’t capable to doing a good job. I have no idea if he is or not. All I’m saying is that for a movie like Jonah Hex, I wasn’t wanting to hear the words “from the director of Horton Hears A Who” connected to it.
Imagine if we heard the next Batman film replaced Christopher Nolan with the director from Bolt? I loved Bolt, but I don’t want Batman to feel like Bolt, and I don’t want Jonah Hex to feel like a Pixar film. That’s all I’m saying here. Your thoughts?
Great directors can come from odd places. When they picked Tim Burton to direct the first Batman movie, he was still mostly known as “the director of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” so this could go either way.
At least the guy won’t be a one-trick pony if he can pull this off. And it’s a good way to stop being known as “the director of Horton Hears a Who.”
its like if someone had a internet movie site decided to make a religious documentary ….
Hey BigSampson,
Well yeah… but if that same guy also used to be a Baptist Minister, I think that would work wouldn’t you?
I think a wait and see attitude is fully warrented here.
It would be like replacing Christopher Nolan with the Directors of Crank.
It is a surprise, and while it is true that directors have to come from somewhere, consider this: would we be equally concerned if, say, Hayward was named as director of ,say, Plastic Man?
I think the problem here is that Hex would seem to take on a darker, edger tone -even if the lame supernatural elements were ultimately excised- than the lighter fare of Horton.
I’ll say, 50/50. Let’s give him a shot.
But- I completely buy the skepticism.
Jonah Hex is a balls out horror western and it worries me that a director of kids movies is slated to direct. That could possibly mean that the balls have been cut from under Jonah and Co or he could do a 180 and go all out. I’m hoping for the later scenario but something tells that won’t be the case.
hopefully the guy will do a good movie,on a side note,John why arent you a minister anymore? .
ok then its like the director of a serious religious documentary tackling a romantic comedy. ;p
I saw Jimmy Hayward as well as the directors of Kung Fu Panda at an Animation festival. I had a chance to talk with him and he came off as a very passionate person when it comes to film. He worked at Pixar for almost 10 years as a animator and story artist, then went to blue sky to work as story artist then Director. It was very interesting because he was telling everyone how much of a say the “corporate” people at fox have on what goes a movie, for example the song at the end of the Horton Hears a Who was forced in to the movie. Anyways I have faith in Jimmy for this movie.
i agree John, i’m a little hesitant on this one too.
at least they got a good script.
John you should talk to Mark and Brian and see if they’ld be willing to talk to you in more depth about why they decided to bail on Jonah Hex? It would kinda be like your site having a story up before any of the actual news sites.