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Hollywood, what a crazy, unpredictable place!
Although we all watch movies, I don’t think many of us will ever get to have that true Hollywood experience - and I’m not talking about the type that Hugh Grant got back in ‘95! (Zing!)
Last week we told you that director Lexi Alexander had been removed from post-production on Punisher: War Zone by studio Lionsgate. Her website seemed to corroborate the news when it posted a picture of three monkeys in the classic “See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil” pose.
Now CHUD is reporting that Lexi is firmly on-board with the film, and that the story of her “departure” was a work of fiction meant to drum up publicity. Meanwhile, her website has now been updated with a few words from the director herself that appear rather vague, but seem to imply that she’s had a rough ride with the film.
SO WHAT’S THE REAL STORY?
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The history of Hollywood is littered with people who have been chewed up and spit out by the dream factory. Films have been written, shot and edited, only to have the wonderful minds behind them cut out of the final stages. Heck, directors have even been removed from projects before they could even wrap principal photography. In the end, many of these mangled projects go down in legend as “the films that might have been.”
One only has to look at a list like Ridley Scott on Blade Runner; Terry Gilliam’s Brazil; Richard Stanley’s The Island of Doctor Moreau; Paul Schrader’s The Exorcist: Dominion; and Orson Welles on just about anything, to realize that $tudio/creative tug-of-war is an all too frequent occurrence in the film industry. While some “interrupted” films ultimately get salvaged and turn out to be classics, others have been forgotten in the mists of time. (How many of you have heard about Stanley’s ordeal on Moreau?)
Is Lexi Alexander’s Punisher: War Zone the latest to be added to the list of cinematic stillborns?
Perhaps not.
“…most of the drama is a bunch of hooey. Hype. Hullabaloo drummed up to generate more interest in the film. Lexi Alexander is still the director and the cut will be locked in a couple weeks.”
This is an interesting assertion; but is bad publicity ALWAYS good publicity, considering the jaded history of The Punisher on the big-screen?
Lexi Alexander had this to say over on her website:
“Since my monkeys made so much news, I decided to replace them with something a bit more interesting to talk about. Now, if I would have real balls a picture of me mooning the vicious cyber world would follow, but unfortunately I haven’t had time to workout, so it wouldn’t be a pretty sight. Yes, my formerly cute ass has been planted on a chair in front of my computer to adapt the Brit book that Deborah Del Prete (producer of THE SPIRIT) mentioned at Comicon. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.”
Now that is a very interesting quote.
She goes on to say about her website:
“I’m not using this site as an information source anymore, I figured it could
be a “vision board”.
She adds,
“Now for me it’s time to move on and look towards the future… The way I see it, no matter if you work in an Ice cream shop, or a textile mill or in lovely peaceful Hollywood, life is all about getting the full experience. If things would always go smooth, it wouldn’t even be a half ass experience. You gotta win it all, lose it all, start from the beginning, get it all back and so on. Exciting times.”
These words seem to imply that she is no longer involved with the film at all, and that she’s had a tough time with War Zone since the day one. And, with no mention of the film by name, one can only presume that her non-disclosure agreement with Lionsgate has already gone into effect.
But then, maybe Alexander is just playing the marketing game. She could still be behind the wheel of Punisher: War Zone, steering it through post production even as we speak. However, truth be told, I feel that the info coming from CHUD was just damage control by Lionsgate, aimed at soothing fanboy worry. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty certain that we’re going to be hearing a lot more about these behind-the-scenes shake-ups in the coming weeks. I’ll keep you posted.
Do we even dare state a release date for Punisher: War Zone at this point? Let’s just hope (or not) that the movie gets to see the light of day.
Sources: Lexi Alexander and Chud
25 Comments
I had heard that the script was good. Makes you wonder about the [Transliteration.] ooooh is that a War Zone trailer, be riiight back..
She puts up the monkey icon right after not showing up at the con and thats “Hooey”?
the fact that she never mentioned the film by name in her most recent comments is very telling.
Besides , what studio in its right mind tries to make it look like they fired the director so people will see the film?
I wish her luck in her future endeavors.
I will not be seeing the film.
Lexi, I think your MySpace page could play a role in this somehow, I can’t nail it down ?
Old Man I heard the last actor walked because the script was horrible ??
790, try lexi alexander.com or lexi alexander home .
Well I’m back from watching the trailer..
Can’t get a real impression since it looks like a typical mayhem scene turned into a trailer. I have to admit I’m not into the “punisher” story. Never read the books and I fell asleep watching the last movie on TV. I take it’s like “The Crow”.. or more like “Death Wish”.. maybe “Walking Tall.” I liked the original “Walking Tall.” What’s so hard about this character or his story??
This cant have a happy ending =(
Niall
im pretty sure she got removed from the project.
If that trailer music is a sign of anything to come…this film is already a written-off failure, lol. I pray they have a real score and not that crap.
The script was crap and Alexander isn’t much of a director going by Green Street Hooligans.
So any changes in editing are probably for the best.
I hate to say it but usually (with my taste in films) Lionsgate = a bowl full of turds
I really think that 99% of the movies I have seen with that Lionsgate logo up front have sucked really bad.
I was hoping for the best but this latest development does NOT give me hope
( and after countless times of times trying to convice my one buddy that they could really make up for the POS that was the first one with this new one and it could be great - although he keeps saying the SECOND one because he keeps counting the Dolph Lundgren one
)
I’ve heard that Lexi didn’t not like the hardrock music, and that was part of all this.
She wrote something pretty offensive to the online movie community on her updated page. I mentioned it in yesterday’s Grab Bag post.
If I’m reading her comment correctly, I hope this movie bombs.
Vic
Was it the mooning thing?
I always thought Alexander was the wrong choice for this movie, not because she’s a woman, but because she is a mediocre director.
Lions Gate really f-ed up when they didn’t give the movie to Walter Hill, him and Jane came up with something that they both agreed would make a good movie. Lions Gate said no, and with that Jane was gone too.
And then there was John Dahl, who would have been a good choice too. He saw how bad the script was, mixed with the cheap budget and short shooting time and said no to it.
I’ve read the Alexander rewrite of the script before the minor rewrites by the Iron Man blokes. And it was crap, and looking at the trailers not much was changed. It’s gory, and that’s all this movie will have going for it. It’ll be the action movie equivalent to the Saw movies
@Mike
Yes, mooning “the vicious cyber world” which has been slamming Lionsgate for supposedly pulling her off the movie.
Vic
Also, there’s a bunch of people starting a I guess ‘blame Gale Anne Hurd’ campaign. Complete with conspiracy theories involving her husband Jonathan Hensleigh.
People can’t seem to bring them selves to think, for what ever reason this movie could suck. But, because it’s closer to the comics, complete with lighting the movie to match panels, they think it’ll be awesome. And it’s gory, but you know I’ll take the scene from the last movie where Ben Foster is being tortured over a seeing a shotgun blast to someones face. That torture scene isn’t even explicit and it makes me uncomfortable.
Despite, the changes to the origin and setting in Florida. I’d say the last movie was pretty accurate to the comic, especially the Year One story.
Aw hell no - Gale has been behind some of the most awesome movies of the last 20 years.
Vic
http://www.globalpunisherarmy.com/pwztruth/
For the most part, it basically says she is a bitch and is ruining the movie. And then they bring her husband Hensleigh into it. It’s pretty much BS.
Funny thing is there’s this whole ‘LOSS OF STORY AND CHARACTERIZATION’ part. My understanding is the problems people had with Hulk and the last Punisher, was that there was too much story and not enough action.
From what I can tell, a bad script from the gitgo, and
Internet rumors are killing this film.
Gale Ann Hurd kicks aas. I’m kinda surprised she’s even on this film.
Hey Mike, the Incredible Hulk was great, action packed !!
I was talking about Ang Lee’s Hulk. The producers (including Hurd) listened to the fans and gave them a more action packed movie with the next one.
I knew I had a 50/50 shot.
Ang,Lee, let’s just forget that one.
I know this has been changing over the years and it’s now common for producers to have writing and directing skills but
you don’t always get that on every project. Ms. Hurd is known in the industry as a tough minded producer that can deliver a product, especially on budget. I don’t know that she can be
held responsible for the creative quality or content beyond a certain point. The writer, director, and actors responsibility has to begin somewhere.
Just how popular beyond the fan base is a “Punisher” story expected to be?
the old man said,
…not popular at all if this newest trailer is the new path of the film.
with good music and those scenes, this would appeal to a MUCH larger audience then what they’ll get with that crap
I’d say she’s off the film, and Lionsgate is scrambling to clean up the publicity mess.
heath
This story was updated here:
“The Real Punisher War Zone Story”
http://screenrant.com/real-punisher-war-zone-story-vic-3486/
What's your opinion? Leave a comment!