Looking at the multiple scheduling shifts that 47 Ronin has undergone, it’s no surprise that Universal Pictures, the studio backing the film, is trying to calm some nerves. The latest move from February 2013 to December 25, 2013 (the film was originally scheduled for November 2012) was done so that some reshoots to focus on Keanu Reeves‘ character could be completed. Now that they have finished, Ronin 47’s troubles have only begun.
According to The Wrap, Ronin 47’s director Carl Erik Rinsch, has been forced out of the editing process, and a studio exec will now be the one to put the finishing touches on the film. Here’s how the site describes the situation.
…described the production process as a “nightmare.” … [The director] had buckled under the pressure of the ambitious shoot of “47 Ronin,” and the studio had to step in to micromanage the latest round of reshoots from half a world away. … The movie wrapped up a series of reshoots in London about one week ago, the purpose of which was to recapture key close-ups of lead actor Keanu Reeves and put him back in the center of the action in the film’s most climactic scene.
The report adds that Reeves’ character, Kai, is not even in the final battle scene, pitted against a supernatural creature. There were also budgetary issues that plagued the film. Sources say that the budget for Ronin 47 had ballooned past $225 million. Add the fact that the marketing team needs to push this film, it’s likely that Ronin 47 would need half a billion dollars just to break even.
But there are some complications to firing a director. If the filmmaker completes physical production and requires any additional reshoots, the Director’s Guild of America requires that the original director be involved in the process. So firing Rinsch was out of the question. But now that reshoots have been completed, Universal apparently made its move and forced Rinsch out of the editing process.
What does this mean for Ronin 47 and for Carl Erik Rinsch?
[Source: The Wrap]
