Thomas Jane pulls out of Punisher 2!!!!!!

[Advanced Dark]

Jane is not going to be in the sequel unless Lionsgate goes to him and TJ gets what he thinks is best for the franchise. What a weird string of events here. It was just a couple weeks ago it was golden and everything was fine and things were moving forward and then this collapse. Lionsgate screwed up somehow. I was hoping Marvel would get the rights back and LGF would not get it out on time but apparently this film is out to directors and they're using a current script they have.

Edit: one more thing. Don't assume the script is "bad" just because Tom Jane is gone either. It could be an excellent script but not right the direction TJ wanted the franchise to go. We'll find out soon enough. The bad thing is Jane is gone.

 

[co2]

Im never watching another Lionsgate film again!

They have done nothing but jack with Marvel properties. All of the animated movies have blown too.

 

[TheVileOne]

So does this mean you guys won't even see War or the Dr. Strange flick?

 

[ghost_x]

But that is the thing. I DON'T want the franchise redone. I want to see a sequel with Jane starting off where the first film ended. I can't see myself being psyched for the sequel without Jane.

Exactly, the climatic scenes, where Castle was using the assortment of weapons and the blood and violence were turned up to the max is precisely where I wanted to be with the sequel, and I assumed after introducing the character and his emotions we would be getting the sort of tone of how the first one ended.

Tis a damn shame

 

[blind_fury]

So does this mean you guys won't even see War or the Dr. Strange flick?

Are you talking about the animated Dr. Strange film or a live action version?

 

[ghost_x]

I'm assuming he's talking about the animated one which is released this year.

I wasn't a big fan of the Iron Man one so I'm not going to get my hopes up. I did however find the Ultimate Avenger ones to satisfy.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Jane is not going to be in the sequel unless Lionsgate goes to him and TJ gets what he thinks is best for the franchise. What a weird string of events here. It was just a couple weeks ago it was golden and everything was fine and things were moving forward and then this collapse. Lionsgate screwed up somehow. I was hoping Marvel would get the rights back and LGF would not get it out on time but apparently this film is out to directors and they're using a current script they have.

Edit: one more thing. Don't assume the script is "bad" just because Tom Jane is gone either. It could be an excellent script but not right the direction TJ wanted the franchise to go. We'll find out soon enough. The bad thing is Jane is gone.

I didn't get the script problem vibe. It seems Jane has been spending a TON of time working out keeping and shape and trying get this ****ing sequel off the ground but LGF just didn't have the same enthusiasm. You gotta give Tom some credit for even putting up with it for this long but the guy has a career he can't be wasting his time for a movie that a studio is pussyfooting with.

 

[Punisher 04]

No official word from Marvel? Maybe they just don't care, so why should Tom Jane stay attached to a movie that's not going to be made. (Spoiler) Even Crank is getting a sequel and the main character freakin died. Hellboy and the Hulk both got dropped by their studios and look they're getting sequels before P2. I guess no Punisher sequel is better than a no Tom Jane crappy PG-13 or DTV one. The thing that pisses me off is 3 years went by and Lionsgate didn't accomplish $hit on this now dead franchise.

Punisher 2
R.I.P. (Rest in Pre-Production)
2004-2007

 

[ghost_x]

Hellboy got dropped by it's studio?

 

[SWAT]

Hellboy got dropped by it's studio?

Yes, Universal is releasing it now. (Sony did the first)

 

[ghost_x]

wow, why? The first one was great, it didn't do too bad at the box office did it

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

wow, why? The first one was great, it didn't do too bad at the box office did it

Revolution, the studio who co-produced it with Sony, went into debt.

 

[ghost_x]

Surely Sony could fund them, I mean I would consider Hellboy a hot property, not massive in Spiderman sense, but it would rake enough. I'm suprised Sony themselves havn't bought the rights.

 

[Anti-Venom]

Devestating!!

I'm not angry at Thomas Jane. If the movie really was shaping up to be that bad, then I'm glad he didn't support it.

I'm angry that the movie was turning out so bad that Jane had to pull out.

 

[Kable24]

Devestating!!

I'm not angry at Thomas Jane. If the movie really was shaping up to be that bad, then I'm glad he didn't support it.

I'm angry that the movie was turning out so bad that Jane had to pull out.

So am I. You would think that we would all be pissed at TJ, but we're understanding of his frustration and taking it out on LGF, appropriately too.

 

[Sebastos]

Please Marvel, take the rights.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

Punisher 2 has a director!
Date : [FONT=arial, verdana]May 17, 2007</B>[/FONT] Posted By : [FONT=arial, verdana]Clint Morris[/FONT]

Yesterday Thomas Jane dropped out of “The Punisher 2”.
By 5pm, every “Punisher” fan in the country decided they wouldn’t be going to see the film – not just because Jane’s no longer playing Frank Castle in it, but because the actor essentially said the reason he left the project was because the script was smellier than Paris Hilton’s nether regions.
Whether that’s true or not isn’t that point, what is is that the film the film has scored a remarkable director –someone who may be able to put some polish on the turd (if he doesn’t get pushed into a corner by a bawdy Lionsgate accountant).
According to Freeze Dried Movies, the crafty John Dahl (“Roadkill”, “Red Rock West”) has been signed to direct the film.
Smart choice. He’s not exactly known for his action films, but he’s definitely a fantastic filmmaker – he was the Fincher before there was a Fincher. He always comes up with something different and intriguing… cast your mind back to some of his films… “Red Rock West”, “Kill Me Again”, “Unforgettable”, “The Last Seduction”…. All terrific movies with killer twists and a real unique vision behind them. In more recent years he helmed the entertaining two-hander “Rounders” starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, and one of my favourite road thrillers of recent years, “Joyride” – or “Roadkill” as it was known here in Australia – a nail biting companion piece to Eric Red’s “The Hitcher” that showcased the director’s knack for pushing his audience closer to the edge of their seats. And whilst his last film was a bit of a disappointment – “The Great Raid”, filmed here in Australia – it proved he can work with actors plus make an average script well, seem not so average on screen.
I’m intrigued to see what Dahl can do with “The Punisher”. He always injects a sense of humour into his on-screen characters (think Fiorentino in “The Last Seduction” or Nicolas Cage in “Red Rock West”) so he could be the right man to give us the multi-faceted Frank Castle we haven’t really seen before. He’s also bound to make sure the script’s as good as it can be before he starts lensing.
If he can’t twist Thomas Jane’s arm into returning, then lets hope Dahl snags an interesting replacement (and casts a good ‘Jigsaw’, the villain of the picture).

 

[jrd550]

I'm even upset that Miller's The Spirit is at LGF now...

 

[Kable24]

LGF needs to stick with there horror, indie and art house movies.

 

[Cyrusbales]

out of curiousity, what do you class as indie or arthouse?

 

[Kable24]

independent I would say is a movie like Crash. Hell even The Hills Have Eyes was an independent movie. Arthouse movie, I would say is The Cider House Rules or Billy Eliot. I'm not saying they are bad movies, but they usually don't require a big budget like the Punisher would need. A typical indie or arthouse movie is done with 10 million or less. Whereas the Punisher needs a minimum of 3 times that much. LGF can't put that much into a movie and it not pay off in theaters.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Jane has put himself in a position where it would NOT look good for him to come back unless they delay the film. Why? Because he obviously backed out due to creative difference from his colorful words about the script, and how he wouldn't do a film he didn't believe in after sweating so hard for it. If he were to suddenly come back and started filming this Summer it would be like he "sold out". LOL So for those of you waiting for him to come back...I doubt it. He should have just said it's taking too long to come together for whatever reasons and he's moving on to other things. That way he's not burning any bridges and degrading the screenwriters. Oh well. I wish he was here though.

 

[SWAT]

Well, aren't you a real pessimist! It's like you don't want him to come back.
Would you rather have a Rambo clone type movie with a B-list actor? The thing they tried to avoid in the fist place? It seems the movie had a better home at Artisan.

And I find it hard to belive that they're going to find an actor with the same caliber as Jane.

and I don't think it's "sellign out" if he came back... If LGF knew what they were losing and committed to make a good movie. I think Jane would/could come back. They have waited three years with this, they can wait a couple of months more.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ No I'm just stating the facts. You'll find nowhere on these forums that I say anything other than I would love him back. He'd be my top choice. I'm just being real here. I'm now just assuming he's done. If he comes back and surprises us great but if he was telling the truth then we'd have to wait for a new script obviously so the filming would be pushed back. If he were to just come back and start filming...it would look like he was holding out for more money and that was it. You're reading too much into my words. Read again above. I didn't say he'd be selling out if he came back. I said he'd be selling out if he came back and he went along with the current script that he said he didnt' like.

 

[ghost_x]

I'd rather get an actor now who isn't known largely in the mainstream, someone they can seamlessly integrate into the continuing story without becoming too distracting