WB's "Twilight Zone" reboot, which has been in development for nearly five years, hit another snag yesterday when director Matt Reeves dropped out of the project. The "Cloverfield" director had been attached to the revival last year but has decided to exit, and "schedule conflicts" have been cited as the reason.
It seems likely that the studio's inability to settle on a script has been an issue as well. Screenplay duties have passed through several hands, as the studio has tapped Jason Rothenberg, Anthony Peckham, Rand Ravich, and, most recently, Joby Harold. The status of the screenplay is currently unknown, but Harold was attached back in June.
Previous reports indicated that this film will not follow the franchise's anthology format, but will instead focus on one feature-length story. Whether or not it'll be adapted from a previous television episode is unknown, but one would think it to be likely.
At any rate, the studio now definitely needs a director, and its designated the project as an open directing assignment, meaning the gig is essentially up for grabs. Before hiring Reeves, Warner Brothers launched a high-profile directing search with a short list that included Christopher Nolan, Michael Bay, and Alfonso Cuaron, so it'll be interesting to see if the studio attempts to lure one of these guys aboard again.
Right now, the only other noteworthy name that's definitely attached is Leonardo DiCaprio, who is serving as a producer for the film. In fact, he's been attempting to get the project off the ground through his Appian Way production label since the project was revived.
As for Reeves, he has plenty on his plate. Between recently signing a deal to oversee television projects for Fox and a new adaptation of "8 O'Clock in the Morning" (the short story that inspired "They Live"), the director has several projects to keep him busy.
He might also be blasting off to the "Planet of the Apes" franchise, as recent reports have landed him on Fox's short list of directors to replace the recently departed Rupert Wyatt on the sequel to "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." Reeves is reportedly in contention with J. Blakeson, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Jeff Nichols, Guillermo del Toro, Juan Antonio Bayona, and Rian Johnson, so it's kind of a lengthy short list.
