While opening up to great reviews but poor returns at the box office, the other books in the series "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" were given the green light and are already being worked on. Over at The Playlist, it is reported that director David Fincher may move on to another project.
Well placed sources -- the same ones who helped us report first that Fincher would be directing ‘Dragon Tattoo’ in the first place (not a erroneously reported chess film) and the ones that first let us know that a relatively unknown actress named Rooney Mara was the “secret lead choice” for Lisbeth Salander (and see how that turned out) -- have told us Fincher’s current plans probably don’t align with Sony’s.
The current plan is to have
"The Girl Who Played With Fire" out by Christmas 2013, but Fincher is seriously considering doing
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. It would start ideally in the fall or by the end of 2012. The script is written by
Contagion writer Scott Burns, which Fincher is reportedly excited about. It is planned for a 3D release with lots of CGI which would require a lot of work in both pre- and post-production making it almost impossible for Fincher to do the sequel.
Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig are signed on for a trilogy, but Fincher is not under contract.
“Classically, movie studios don’t make deals with directors, even if there’s a hope that there’s going to be three, because they want to make sure you behave,” Fincher said at the ‘Dragon Tattoo’ press conference in December.
The Playist reports that the filmmaker "has an option for “The Girl Who Played With Fire,” apparently Fincher’s favorite book of the three and will get paid $5 million regardless of whether or not he directs it which is a win/win for him."
It looks like the movies are getting made regardless of Fincher's involvement. Does this seem like a good idea to you? Sound off below.