Should John Landis Be Released from Director Jail?
Filed under: Horror, Deals, Universal, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy
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Multiple sources are reporting today that Universal has invited John Landis into the office for a couple of meetings about potentially directing The Wolf Man, probably at the behest of the film's creature effects maestro Rick Baker, who Landis worked with on the seminal modern werewolf picture, An American Werewolf in London, many full moons ago. There are reports that the studio was taken aback by the hissy fit that the usually compliant Harry Knowles went into over the studio's almost-sealed deal with Brett Ratner to take over the project that Mark Romanek has inconveniently exited, and so now they're keeping their options open by meeting with a whole host of potential candidates. I don't really buy that -- there's no way the Universal brass actually takes fanboy reaction that seriously, but nevertheless, here we are, and I'm left with one question: John Landis -- really?
Landis has been persona non grata in Hollywood for a long, long time -- being negligent enough to allow Jennifer Jason Leigh's dad to be decapitated on your movie set is a great way to have your phone calls go unreturned -- but he did get at least a couple of comeback opportunities in the 90s, most notably the chance to helm a third Beverly Hills Cop film, and he bungled that opportunity fabulously. BHCIII is one of the worst big-budget action-comedy films I've ever seen in my life, so lifeless and listless and such a franchise-killer that even Jerry Bruckheimer will tell you, if you ask, that he wouldn't be involved in a fourth one if they begged him. Landis's 1992 vampire film, Innocent Blood, was also a hokey disappointment. Still, some swear by the man who brought us Trading Places, Three Amigos and American Werewolf, and would be giddy at the thought of his return to the brass ring. Are you one of those people?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-03-2008 @ 3:41PM
dana said...
His entries in the Masters of Horror series are more than enough to convince me that he's ready to return with The Wolf Man -- Family is one of my favorites yet, and Deer Woman is the perfect mixture of creepy and funny. Go Landis, go!
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2-03-2008 @ 4:27PM
p miller said...
Landis is an incredibly nice man and would be perfect for the WOLFMAN - a far better choice with a better knowledge of horror than Brett Ratner.
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2-03-2008 @ 5:24PM
GRUMPYNZ said...
I'm definitely one of those people that gets giddy at the thought of Landis staging a comeback!
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2-03-2008 @ 8:37PM
NvM said...
Well, better than Ratner.
But a Wolf Man "re-imagine" would probably fail either way.
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2-03-2008 @ 11:00PM
dana said...
AICN is now saying a choice has been made, and it's Joe Johnston, a guy I'd never heard of.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35492
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2-04-2008 @ 12:23AM
uforeader said...
You didn't even mention Landis' two most famous directorial jobs: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and 'Black or White' videos!
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2-04-2008 @ 8:31AM
Christopher said...
This would be sooo cool, but sadly not the case!!
Universal Pictures has just signed Joe Johnston to direct the abandoned Mark Romanek horror remake The Wolf Man. According to Variety, Johnston signed with Universal late Sunday night to keep the highly anticipated thriller on course.
Benicio Del Toro will play the title character and Anthony Hopkins will play the title character's father. The budget for the highly anticipated The Wolf Man is estimated to be in the range of one hundred million dollars.
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2-04-2008 @ 10:50PM
Slappy said...
http://chud.com/articles/articles/13493/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-WHY-JOHN-LANDIS-IS-IN-DIRECTOR-JAIL/Page1.html
He's right Stewart, your article is way off base.
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2-19-2008 @ 5:53PM
Mare said...
The reason I looked this guy up here is because I'm in the middle of reading a book (Outrageous Conduct) that explains how John Landis heartlessly allowed all kinds of people, including two tiny little kids, to take insane risks in order for him to get 'the perfect shot' while making the Twilight Zone movie.
In a way, I can understand his reasoning at the time: he felt invulnerable, having taken crazy risks with other people's lives many times in the past and gotten away with it. That time he went way too far and he caused the deaths of three people. And, thanks to Hollywood's convoluted "Star Power" system, he didn't even suffer for it.
So, no: I'm not in the camp of people who want John Landis brought out of director jail, whatever that is. The man should have been thrown into a real jail when that happened and he should still be there.
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