10 Million Screenwriters On ‘Logan’ Project Might Not Have Helped Its Chances
Where do you know the name Cark Erik Rinsch? He was a commercias director and Ridley Scott protege that had made such an impression on Scott with his sci-fi short “The Gift” that the director originally wanted him to helm the upcoming “Alien” prequel (20th Century Fox balked and said the only way they were financing it was if Scott himself would helm, and he caved).
In the ensuing months, Rinsch attached himself to several new projects including “47 Ronin” starring Keanu Reeves and a remake of the 1970s sci-fi flick, “Logan’s Run,” about a young man at odds with his society’s mandatory death sentence for all those turning 21, who plots a daring escape on the eve of his fateful birthday, written by Alex Garland.
Well, Rinsch has now dropped out of Warner Bros.‘s “Logan’s Run” and “47 Ronin” is a go picture with a newly-minted release date of November 21, 2012.
So what exactly happened? THR reports that Rinsch simply left “Logan’s Run” to concentrate on “47 Ronin” — a story focusing on an 18th century samurai who sets out to avenge the death of his master — which Universal are very keen on starting.
But that’s likely the diplomatic way of saying it. Rinsch is the fourth director who has been involved with “Logan’s Run” and other helmers previously attached include Bryan Singer, Robert Schwentke and Joseph Kosinski. The problem with the film seems like it’s the script that sounds like it’s been overwritten to death. Hot on the heels of Rinsch’s exit is a Variety report about stalled film projects, and the trade says, “the number of writers taking a whack at the [‘Logan’s Run’] script has swelled into the double digits.” Ouch. Sounds like a classic case of a studio not quite happy with a project and then simply hiring writer after writer to “fix” the problem, ultimately causing a confused and compromised screenplay with no focus.
It’s also interesting to note that in the recent issue of Empire, not online, original “Logan’s Run” screenwriter Alex Garland (“28 Days Later,” “The Beach“) seemed to shrug off the WB-remake as a work-for-hire whereas film projects like “Never Let Me Go” are much dearer to his heart (that’s sort of encouraging to hear. “Dredd” also seems, in his estimation, another work-for-hire that lets him exercise different creative muscles).
Still, producers Joel Silver and Akiva Goldsman will likely start chasing other directors to revive “Logan’s Run,” but as as an exec tells Variety, “studios are much more conscious about throwing good money after bad than they were before.”