Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters 2 has suddenly been left without a leader, kind of like two kids who are left alone in the woods to starve because their woodcutter dad can’t feed them. According to Coming Soon, the first film’s writer-director Tommy Wirkola has completed work on the sequel’s screenplay, but he won’t be the one to direct it.
Speaking to Fangoria, Wirkola said:
I’ve just decided to not direct Hansel And Gretel 2. I have been lately attached to a few more things. It’s just a matter of time and priorities. I did Dead Snow 1, then Hansel And Gretel 1, and then Dead Snow 2. I want to do something a little bit different now and not just do sequels. I did write the script and I hope to be involved in it. But yeah, I won’t be directing it.
Paramount ordered a sequel after the first Hansel And Gretel film made an estimated $170 million internationally. Wirkola previously hinted that it might be hard to get star Jeremy Renner back on board since his schedule is so busy (and perhaps because the first film was a critical flop). In addition to convincing one of its titular stars to return, Paramount will now have to find a new filmmaker to helm the project. We hear gingerbread houses are useful when it comes to luring in unwitting participants.