Akiva Goldsman To Direct Returning Cast In Paranormal Activity 2?
UPDATE:Deadlinesays that Goldsman is onboard as executive producer, not director. The site says he’s helping shape the story in advance of the May shoot date. Original article follows.
The creation ofParanormal Activity 2has been a fairly odd process. Paramount had hiredSaw VIdirectorKevin Geutertto helm the filmon a fairly short schedule, thenLionsgate exercised a clause in his contract to call him backto make the latest (and perhaps last) film in theSawseries. Paramount has been looking for a new director and now there’s word that they may have settled on a surprising name:A Beautiful MindandI Am LegendscreenwriterAkiva Goldsman.
Shock Till You Drophas the Goldsman report, and as the site is usually more active in debunking rumors than starting them, I’m willing to believe they’ve got good info. Goldsman’s name was on the list circulated by the LA Timesa couple weeks ago— that was the list that also featured Brad Anderson, Greg McLean and Brian De Palma. The latter name got all the attention from the press, but Goldsman is evidently the name that got the attention of Paramount.
This wouldn’t be Goldsman’s first directorial experience, though it would be his first feature. He’s previously directed episodes ofKingsandFringe. Can’t say I like this much, though. Not only because Goldsman wrote the execrableBatman and Robin, for which he can only take some of the blame. I simply don’t like any of his scripts much at all: he started out fine withThe Client, but by the time ofThe Da Vinci Code,Angels & Demons,Cinderella Manand the aforementioned movies, his stuff quickly felt formulaic and saccharine. Can he bring more balls toParanormal Activity?
If recent comments are correct, at least one of the original cast members may be returning.Micah Stoutrecently toldMTV"Well we have money now, but we’re staying true to the heart of the movie, to the spirit of it, to the vision," and his use of ‘we’ seemed interesting, given the events of the first film. We don’t know for certain that Stout is returning, but that seems to be his implication.
