Jeff Nichols no longer directing new Quiet Place movie

Paramount Pictures will have to look for someone else to bring the new Quiet Place movie to life as Deadline has reported that Jeff Nichols has departed the project. The outlet says that Nichols and the studio parted ways amicably and that Nichols will stay in the Paramount family as he’s now focusing on another sci-fi project for the studio.

Jeff Nichols had been tapped to write and direct the new Quiet Place movie last year by John Krasinski. Not much is known about the project, only that it will be a spin-off and not the third part of the main series. As Paramount has already slated the Quiet Place movie for a 2023 release, the studio will be working quickly to find someone to replace Jeff Nichols. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski aren’t expected to reprise their roles for the spin-off, but the studio hopes that the film will be successful enough to set up a Quiet Place universe that can continue for years to come.

Although Jeff Nichols is no longer directing the Quiet Place movie, his script could still be used as John Krasinski was quite excited by it.

I came up with the idea. The story of the third one, the third installment, is something I came up with. Truly the only person I had in mind when asked whether I would hand this off was Jeff. I think he’s one of the best filmmakers, Mud is one of my favourite movies, and so real and intimate. It’s exactly the sort of paints we’re painting with in A Quiet Place – very organic characters you fall in love with. So he was my first choice for this, and when he said yes I was over the moon. I pitched him my story, he’s gone and developed the world on his own with that jumping-off point, and I’m so thrilled. He’s actually just turning in a script now, and I loved it. I absolutely loved it, and I can’t wait to see him shoot this thing.

The Quiet Place spin-off is still slated for a March 31, 2023 release.