Deadline: Gary Ross Has Not Formally Withdrawn from ‘Catching Fire’
Despite the blaze flashing through the internet like wildfire about Gary Ross formally bowing out of directing the sequel to the highly successful movie ‘The Hunger Games’, Deadline is now reporting that their sources say that Gary Ross has done no such thing.
As for the notion that Ross would simply toss away the opportunity to return and direct Catching Fire because of a salary squabble, the logic seems flawed. The Seabiscuit director knows the benefit of riding in a winner and not switching horses midstream. Ross lobbied hard to get The Hunger Games and turned it into the biggest hit of his directing career. Before that, he developed several serious historical dramatic projects under his deal at Universal that didn’t get off the ground. Staying for a sure-fire hit and a sequel that audiences actually want to see makes a lot of sense for Ross, particularly given how active the filmmaker has been in the construction of Catching Fire.
Source: Deadline
Stop teasing us, internet!
I’m so confused. How can two sources say exactly the opposite things?
I think he’ll stay and direct Catching Fire. He seems so passionate about the series. He also tried so hard to become the director of the first film. I don’t think he would just let it go b/c of money.
Wish these mags would stop trying to make persuasive arguments as to why he’ll do one thing or the other. They don’t have any more of a clue than we do.
I would be so dissappointed if he doesn’t direct CF. But I don’t think Gary would do that. I wish he would just make the decision already.
well, even though nothing’s confirmed nor denied yet (this sounds more like an opinion than an actual report), i’m glad deadline at least seems to be in line with what we’ve been discussing here. *shrug*
meanwhile, i like this article because at least it confirms that FOX does not have a script for the x-men first class sequel yet. as an x-men fan, i was wondering about that, too.
Okay, still a bit of hope. Everyone is jumping to a conclusion too soon, I think. Jesus, he’s on vacation!!! Give him some time!
Well, Deadline and Nikki Finke are a pretty trusted source so this makes me feel a little better. Nowhere near confirmation that Gary will return but still better than what we had yesterday. And Deadline has more than one source saying he hasn’t withdrawn. I’ve been wondering if this whole thing wasn’t a negotiating ploy by one of the sides. Not sure which side, though there’s been lots of fan support for Gary since the news broke yesterday. Deadline makes excellent points regarding reasons for Gary to stay put. Which makes me wonder if it doesn’t all come back to Lionsgate. Possibly Gary wants the same deal he had for THG and Lionsgate is balking. Which seems so stupid and short-sighted to me. This studio should be thanking every deity it can think of for the phenomenal success of this film and potential franchise and doing everything in their power to keep the current team in place. They’ve struck gold so why mess with success? But instead they may ruin it all by quibbling with one of they keys to their success over $10-15 million. Sigh.
Gary Ross spent months planning for the movie, months writing the screenplay, months casting, months filming the movie, months editing the movie, months promoting the movie… I don’t see how Gary could be offered such a small amount of money for all of the work and effort he has put into this series. It seems like a lot, but I think I read somewhere that it was about 5% of the movie’s total gross, if not less?
The only thing that is really bothering me is this: if it was just rumor, wouldn’t Lionsgate try to nip the bud early-on? Having no say from Lionsgate makes a fan like me worried.
I am confuzzled!
Gosh! I can’t take this teasing anymore!
I wonder when we’ll truly find out if he will be the director for Catching Fire. As many have said, he has been so passionate about the series and has said he has already begun planning for CF. So, it doesn’t make sense for him to bow out. I can’t wait to hear the official news that says he WILL be the CF director and also the casting news for CF! We sure have some exciting news coming in the near-ish future! 
PS Garrett Hedlund for Finnick Odair! 
-_____- I feel like I’ve been trolled. Thank you Gary Ross!! Can’t describe my relief right now
While I don’t claim to know really anything about Hollywood, I think this is a good sign. Deadline says they have several sources saying it is untrue and IndieWire did not ever confirm it, and like other people on this post or the last one I’ll believe it when Nikki Finke says it. I think more of this is shrouded than we know about. I’m gonna go with the “innocent until proven guilty” theory. Untrue until proven true. As for the people anxiously waiting news, I’m anxious too, but don’t get your bowstring in a tangle. The guy’s on vacation, along with a lot of other people in the world. I don’t expect definitive news until at the very earliest Monday.
http://garyrossisboss.com/
not that I personally have any worries about him doing it (it was pretty obvious he will all the time), but its interesting how fast a site like that was made XD
So basically while the logical choice,in my opinion, would be to stay…..he could still leave. Not to be negative or anything though…….I really hope we get something from Lionsgate soon confirming whether or not he’s directing or not directing CF.
Yes, I was wondering if this wasn’t a trial balloon on the idea of replacing Ross.
Could it be! Could all that hoping, crying, and baking really be paying off?
Nikki Finke of deadline is the most accurate source of all things Hollywood. Publicists usually call her first for stories/scoops not Access Hollywood, etc. She has incredible sources. If Nikki is saying this is blown out of proportion, trust it. She is rarely wrong.
@Kate – BLESS.
I hope he doesn’t leave! I trust him to make Catching Fire amazing- just like the Hunger Games! I don’t think I wouldn’t trust anyone else. Plus, I read in the US Hunger Games magazine that Ross already knows who he wants to play Finnick. I’ll take that as a good sign!
*would
Thank god.
I think all the fans should UNITE and convince Gary Ross to direct all the other movies!!!
Haha rory you make me laugh.
If its not Gary Ross, I would love to see Danny Boyle direct the film!
@Isabella S. We are! just go to http://www.garyrossisboss.com and help convince him to stay!!
@ crystal me too!!! ahhh!
“You aren’t necessarily committed to directing all the movies in this series, but when you decided that you wanted to do the first film, did you think ahead about the other ones?
They’ve asked me to do the next one. I’m attached to it, it’s my intention to do it. To be honest, I haven’t really had time to think about the particulars ofCatching Fire because, literally, this cake is right out of the oven and then I went right into the press junket, so I want to finish this movie properly and get it done. But no, I intend to do the next one.”
- Gary Ross
I sure hope this is true. I thought Lionsgate might have come out and said something that it wasn’t true, but since they are still in negotiations maybe they didn’t want to. I mean if they come out and say something and then the negotiations fall through, we would be more mad at them then just them not saying anything.
Re “attached” – He keeps using that word. I do not think it means what he thinks it means.
@SPM what do you think “attached” means?
i feel like i’m being trolled…GARY ROSS, MAKE YOUR MIND UP. NOW.
I’m confused now:/
@buensulg – It was a Princess Bride reference.
THANK GOD
@garyrossisboss.com
I ROFL’d listening to Gary (ross) Come Home
Still holding out hope myself – he just has to come back for Catching Fire! We are keeping the updates coming as best we can, what a saga
Very interesting thoughts above too on whether its a ploy/scare tactic by one side or the other – but we’ll probably never know. Hopefully its all over and done with soon.
As long as he utilizes the criticisms he received for the first film, I’ll gladly take him again. But if he’s going to do the same stuff (like that awful shaky camera nonsense), then I’ll gladly get rid of him. I’d love to see what Peter Jackson, Stevel Spielberg, or James Cameron would do with a series like this. (Obviously I know this could never happen, but man, it’d be so amazing)
Don’t get me wrong, I loved Gary Ross’ direction of THG but I think it could have been better. It may be because he made it too PG-13 and basically cut all of the gruesome scenes out of the movie. I like the fact that he stayed true to the book. However I’m kind of thrilled to have someone new. I hope that if this is true, the new director would not make it PG-13 and capture everything essential in the book. Hunger Games didn’t really cover everything.
If Gary Ross had officially decided not to direct CF, BUT if that decision had been FORMALLY announced with all the following info:
- The replacement director was already chosen and was someone really good/trustworthy
- The reasoning for the switch was because it was felt that the tone of CF is going to be different enough that Gary felt that Director B was more appropriate
- Gary was going to work with Director B to do the proper transition (and maybe would Gary still do the screenplay re-writes that still need to be done?)
- And if we could be sure that all the cast (including Woody and others outside of the main 3) and Nina Jacobson were all totally on board with it …
THEN I would honestly be fine with this. It just p*sses me off that we had to hear about this (if “this” is even anything at all) as a totally nonsensical unsubstantiated story from one random website on a Friday, while Gary is on vacation. It causes everyone to freak out because we have to sit there and speculate and basically make the story up ourselves because the REAL story has not been publicized, certainly not in that IndieWire article that’s for sure.
Just obnoxious man. I was eating an early Easter dinner with my mom today and she goes, “Oh did you hear that Gary Ross backed out of Catching Fire!?” I was like, WTF!! This ONE freaking story on this one website has gotten out to a bazillion other news sources as pure fact. It is strange and annoying how news reporting works.
I’m sure that when we hear the official announcement, IF turns out that Gary really is pulling out, then we won’t get all the details we’re looking for. BUT, we’ve GOT to get more than the B.S. that was reported in that IndieWire article.
Is there a way we could contact Lionsgate directly?
To inform them on our concerns on the film and how Catching Fire should be handled.
i really really really really really really really really really really really hope Garry Ross does catching fire. imagine if they decided not to do catching fire at all!!!!
Please gte a new director. I’m sorry Gary Ross but I luv your other movies. It’s just I think Ur not ready for this kind of franchise
Meh, I know a lot of fans will hate me for this but I would be actually happy if he quits. I mean, my only concern is the violence and fight scenes. They were just too shaky… And I know it was on purpose so the movie could be rated PG-13, and all they could say was “Katniss can’t see much because she’s in the games and she’s nervous and running and whatsoever” … but hey, Catching Fire has way more violence that has to be seen, and I don’t think those shaky scenes would be ok this time. I mean, when they are beating Gale at the square and the camera is shaky, what excuse are they gonna use? Katniss is having seizures or what? Sorry everyone, don’t get me wrong, I really like Gary and I really liked the movies, but it is just the way it is.
Gary Ross was fantastic and I’m so thrilled to hear that he’s probably coming back for Catching Fire. The direction in The Hunger Games stood out to me so strongly and it captured the essence of the story perfectly.
Hey guys!! if you want Gary to direct Catching Fire you can go to garyrossisboss.com and write a message or post a picture/video. There´s also a twitter petition going on.
@Rick. What makes you think he will use shaky cam in CF? A big issue with HG that the other two movies do not have is child on child violence. That is a real tight rope act to deal with, both politically and to get PG-13. I suspect you can show more of adult on adult violence, and in a more standard way, and still get PG-13.
@Mark: CF may not have child on child violence but Mockingjay definitely will have its hands full with the parachute bombing raid scene toward the end near President Snow’s mansion…it’s a flat out child massacre. Granted it’s not children killing each other but in some sense that seems more reasonable than a straight up air raid bombing (though it’s something that MUST be in the movie for obvious reasons…hopefully they keep it in).
As far as the whole topic goes…I think it’s just too soon to be freaking out over whether Gary Ross will direct CF or not. You figure they are going to spend most of the summer writing the script which gives him about 2 months to do whatever negotiating LG and GR have to handle. I don’t think he’d throw away this opportunity nor do I think LG would be foolish enough to easily drop him from the franchise.
I just wish I knew more about what they’ve already got done at this point, and what still needs to be done in terms of general planning, casting and finishing the script and everything. Oh and I wish I knew more about how all this stuff works in GENERAL because I don’t.
If it would be possible to have Gary onboard to finish the script (assuming it still needs some re-writes and tweaks at this point) and if there was some way he could still have a hand in casting, then I honestly would not mind if they got a different director (IF it’s someone good, of course). People do have a point when it comes to Gary’s lack of experience directing action movies, so I wouldn’t mind if we got a different director who was well-suited for the material of Catching Fire.
It just has to be someone talented and trustworthy, and of course someone who is highly respected by the cast as well, so we don’t have issues like, for instance, Woody suddenly deciding he’s gonna pull out of the franchise or something. Or the rest of the case losing their morale and confidence in the project.
It’s just all these open questions out there that are making me nervous. The IndieWire article was totally nonsensical based upon everything we know about Gary and his commitment to this thing. Which made it completely useless to anyone who knows ANYTHING about these films and the people involved in making them. So, yeah … I just hope that once a decision IS made on this, that we get more info to fill in some of the huge blanks we have right now that are making us all freak out.
@Rachael – you know, I think it’s just a catch-22 with the script at this point. I was starting to think I could live with another director if Ross co-wrote the script, provided he focused sufficiently on developing Peeta and K/P in CF as he didn’t do in THG. But we have no guarantees he’ll do that. What if he further de-emphasizes Peeta’s character and Katniss’s relationship with him?
I’m starting to feel like I have to choose between the devil I know and the devil I don’t. But of course it’s not my choice anyway.
“But he is not yet signed to return for the second installment, Catching Fire, and sources say the filmmaker is concerned about an ambitious production schedule that would require shooting to begin in August so that star Jennifer Lawrence can complete her work before she is due to start filming a sequel to Fox’s X-Men: First Class in January.”
(snip)
“Sources describe the negotiations between Ross and Lionsgate as delicate. In addition to his concerns about the schedule, THR reported Wednesday that the filmmaker would like a raise from the $3 million (and 5 percent of backend) that he received for the first film…”
“One option for Lionsgate is that it could attempt to “buy” more time for Ross, essentially paying Fox (or horsetrading in other ways) to bump its production schedule to accommodate the Hunger Games shoot.”
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hunger-games-sequel-gary-ross-director-scheduling-lionsgate-309478