Michael Arndt in Talks to Re-Write ‘Catching Fire’ Script
According to The Hollywood Reporter, writer Michael Arndt is currently in talks to work on the re-write of Simon Beaufoy’s script for ‘Catching Fire’. Best known for his work writing scripts for Toy Story 3 and Little Miss Sunshine, Arndt was also hired last year to write the script for Disney’s Phineas and Ferb movie!
Francis Lawrence is officially on board to direct the movie, stepping into the chair vacated by Gary Ross, who helmed the $600 million-grossing first installment in the franchise.
The sequel is barreling toward a late-summer production start. While Lionsgate doesn’t yet have a deal with Arndt, if he signs on, he will have to work double-time to get the script ready due to a squeezed schedule caused by star Jennifer Lawrence’s commitment to Fox’s X-Men: First Class sequel. That tight schedule was one reason Ross declined to take on the project.
Source: THR
LOL, coming to this site and being greeted with a phineas & ferb picture made me snort. it’s so bizarre. xD
meanwhile, i wouldn’t mind michael arndt having a go with the script. it sounds weird when you think of it in terms of disney, but little miss sunshine is one of my all-time favorite movies (as is slumdog millionaire, which simon beaufoy wrote). DEFINITELY very character-oriented. and i love that they’re at least going for screenwriters who know what they’re doing– both of them won academy awards, so at least i know they’re capable. having one of them re-work what the other did might work pretty well.
on the other hand, IF THEY COULD JUST BRING SUZANNE COLLINS IN TO WORK ON IT ALREADY, THAT WOULD BE LOVELY. thank you.
It’ll only be funny to Phineas and Ferb fans hahaha!!
I loved Toy Story 3, so I’m confident he’ll do an amazing job! (if they do hire him)
I love Phineas and Ferb! And I think Toy Story 3 was beautifully written, so I think he’ll be great
why didn’t they like simon beaufoy’s script? now we’re really losing time……..ok, but if it’s for the best, then i really can’t complain
He wrote Little Miss Sunshine which was an amazing film. He wrote Toy Story 3 which had its fair share of adults crying like babies. AND he writes for Phineas and Ferb which though it IS a kids show is clever and smart and actually REALLY funny, I’m 20 years old (the only cartoon o watch) and a lot of my adult and college friends watch it! LOL a surprising rumor but if It’s true I’m on board!!
Phineas and Ferb is actually the last remaining good show on Disney!
Catching Fire = Makes me cry.
Toy Story 3 = Makes me cry.
Writer of one working on the other = Me probably bawling like a baby… I approve….
Also LOL AT CAPTION ON THE PICTURE! XD
I’ve got absolutely nothing against Michael Arndt, but it still concerns me that they feel the need to bring in another writer (yes, I know it’s just a ruomour). And this late into the production? What went wrong with the first script? I knew it would be a difficult book to adapt, and I suppose this news confirms that they have had problems with it.
I don’t like this, it’s all getting too messy and complicated. The more people are involved in writing the script, the more likely it is that they don’t really understand the book (exactly what happened to the Voyage of the Dawn Treader). Still, I trust Nina Jacobson and both writers are good..
cool! I think this is good news.
We know that first drafts are often reworked, and I’m glad that they’re looking to other writers for collaboration since Francis Lawrence is not a writer. The more I’ve thought about it and read all the suggestions for Lawrence on Facebook, the more I’ve come to realize just how difficult this book is going to be to adapt into a 2 1/4 hours movie. I do hope they will consider making it longer than THG. There’s just no way to include the majority of the plot points, plus the relationship development which is so crucial to Mockingjay. Without splitting this book, I really think quite a bit will need to be cut, but it needs to be so selectively precise if they are to maintain the integrity of the characters’ journey and the impact of the “games” in and outside of the arena.
At first, I wasn’t really on board, but after reading the comments, I’m super excited! I can’t wait too see what he’ll do.
NOOOOOO! PHINEAS AND FERB!!! HOW AWFUL! ALMOST ALL OF THIS WRITERS MOVIES AND SHOWS HAVE BEEN FUNNY! CATCHING FIRE IS NOT FUNNY!!
THAT MOVIE WAS BAD BAD BAD!!!!! It was dumb!!!! The things that they said were weird!!!! Watch the movie and see for yourselfs!!!!!!!!!!!! If she doesn’t go by the book then I will die!!!!!!! If she leaves any important parts out (President Snow in Katniss’ home, the beach kiss, ect.) then I WILL die!!!!!!! But Suzanne Collins wouldn’t let them do that right?????
Hell yeah, this is great news. Toy Story 3 was genius.
Oops!! Sorry I said she in my other comment…
Wait… you don’t like Phineas and Ferb either???? Oh yeah! High five!!!! Well…..give me a thumbs up! Toy story 3 was ok, but he story was just the same things over again!!! Ah! I hats it!
Mo… we are so much alike. I hope there is more of Peeta in this one! And I hope Peeta atleast has SOME jokes. I mean… that’s his personality. On the last movie he was just so serious. But that wasn’t Joey’s problem it was the script writer’s.
I just hope it’s not sloppy because they are so rushed : ( But when Phineas and Ferb greeted me on the site, that made my day.
I’m conflicted. Based on his previous work, I don’t doubt that Michael Arndt is talented and could bring some good things to the table. But the intended production start date leaves me wondering how Lawrence is supposed to be planning a production without a script. Yes, it happens, but with “Catching Fire” there really are a lot of different aspects of the book that a script writer could choose to focus on or leave out. Aside from knowing to plan for a tropical arena, there are a lot of question marks.
Also, I’ve been wondering…Do we know which actors have contracts for all 3-4 movies and which are signed on a film-by-film basis? I thought I saw a mention of Willow Shields the other day, but Donald Sutherland is the one that really worries me. He was so supportive of what Gary Ross did with the first film (both script and direction), and I’ve been worried about his commitment to sticking with the series since we knew Gary was out.
Donald Sutherland is coming back. I guess I should post something about that since I don’t think we quoted it in the Francis story, but it was in the same press release.
I LOVE PHINEAS AND FERB, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, AND OF COURSE TOY STORY 3!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!
I love Phineas and Ferb. I like Candace. Shes a total nutbag.
Toy story 3 was amazing, so I’m not worried and SC will be along for the script rewrite so I am cautiously optimistic. And a script rewrite does not mean the original script was bad it is essentially to my knowledge is just another person,looking over the original script to remove any unnecessary scenes and or adding something Beofoy may have left out, if I take anything from this it looks as if they are trying to create the best script possible.v
since little miss sunshine and toy story 3 are both amazing films i doubt many people are going to have a problem with this
@ Abba – who the hell is Joey?
Still don’t understand the need for rewrites, unless SC herself thought Beaufoy’s script was a disaster.
Not to worry, SPM and HG lovers. It’s not unusual to bring in an extra editor/writer to polish up or restructure a script — especially if the film is expected to be a big deal. Arndt spent something like the first ten years of his career reading gazillions of scripts so he’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Plus he’s worked as part of a big collaborative team, as well as working alone. He emphasizes focus and structure in scripts (something the book actually misses in a big way). The classes and lectures Arendt’s given are really encouraging (do some deep google searches, people). I suspect he’ll do a great, great job.
I hate toy story 3!!! But I love Phineas and Ferb!!! This might turn out okay.