Frank Darabont exits The Huntsman; Emily Blunt in talks to play villain

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

It's being reported that director Frank Darabont has left Universal's planned SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN prequel/spin-off THE HUNTSMAN due to creative differences. It's not clear if the studio will still use Darabont's draft of the script for the project, or if Universal will hire someone else to rewrite it.

But THE HUNTSMAN isn't dead; according to Deadline, Universal has "someone else in its cross hairs, and it is expected to stay on track and keep the April 22, 2016 release date." The Wrap has also learned INTO THE WOODS and EDGE OF TOMORROW star Emily Blunt is in talks to play Queen Ravenna's (Charlize Theron) sister, the villainous Snow Queen.

Both Theron and Chris Hemsworth will reprise their SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN roles for the film, which will follow Hemsworth's Huntsman as he goes on "a quest to find the magic mirror (which has been stolen), forcing him to face not only his past but the evil Snow Queen who’s set on avenging her sister Ravenna’s death."

I didn't care for SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, and I really don't have much interest in checking out THE HUNTSMAN, especially with Frank Darabont no longer directing. Although the Rupert Sanders movie pulled in almost $400 million worldwide, it doesn't seem like that many people are excited for another film. If the price tag for it ends up being as high as it was for the first movie ($170 million), I have a feeling it could be a huge bomb at the box office when it's released next year. Maybe I'm wrong though; what are your thoughts on THE HUNTSMAN?