Disney Fires ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff Director for Being “Erratic” and “Very Isolated”
Josh Trank revealed on Friday that he had “made a personal decision” to leave the Star Wars universe. However, according to reports, the young director’s “unusual conduct” during the making of Fox’s upcoming ‘Fantastic Four’ caused LucasFilm executives to fire the director from directing the second ‘Star Wars’ spinoff movie.
Apparently, Disney executives were still unsure about working with the director and told him not to appear at a Star Wars event last April.
Trank, 30, had raised eyebrows in April when he didn’t appear as scheduled at a Star Wars celebration in Anaheim. At the time, both Disney and the director cited illness as the cause but multiple knowledgeable sources say the studio had asked the filmmaker not to attend while considering whether to proceed with him on the second spinoff in a planned series of films.
Even ‘Fantastic Four’ producers commented on his behavior as “erratic” and “very isolated.”
Indeed, producers on Fantastic Four, set for release July 30, are said to have faced great challenges pulling the film together given behavior described by one insider as “erratic” and at times “very isolated.” Trank did not offer clear direction, this person adds, saying, “If you’ve got someone who can’t answer questions or who isn’t sure or is in hiding, that’s not good.”
A Fox spokesman says the studio is “very happy with the movie and we can’t wait for audiences to see it” but acknowledges, “There were definitely some bumps in the road.”
Here are some of the issues Fox producers faced while working with Josh Trank. Trank has several small dogs who were left in a rented house in New Orleans while the film was shooting there. According to sources, as much as $100,000 worth of damage was done to the property. A source with THR says the production considers any destruction of the property to be Trank’s responsibility.
Citing Trank’s work on the 2012 found-footage superhero movie Chronicle, an insider says: “No question there’s talent there. You can’t do Chronicle by accident.” But Trank seemed “like one of these kids who comes to the NBA with all the talent and none of the character-based skills to handle it. There’s equipment he doesn’t yet have.”
According to reports, Josh Trank was sometimes indecisive and uncommunicative. Producers Simon Kinberg and Hutch Parker had to step in to help make the movie together, though sources stress that Trank was still on set and directing the film.
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Source: THR
