I was barely paying attention when Paramount a) poached SAW VI director Kevin Greutert to helm PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2, thus forcing Lionsgate to bring back David Hackl to call the shots on SAW VII 3D, and b) engaged in a game of scheduling chicken by plopping PA2 onto SAW VII 3D's October 22nd release date. Ballsy move, yes, but hardly unexpected after SAW VI badly underperformed while PARANORMAL ACTIVITY outgrossed every previous entry in the SAW series.
Well, Lionsgate didn't appreciate the aggression all that much. As a result, it looks like Paramount's going to have to find a new PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 director.
According to Deadline Hollywood's Michael Fleming, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures have an option on Mr. Greutert's next film, and they're exercising the fuck out of it. Ergo, the one-time director of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 is the just-hired director of SAW VII 3-D - whether he likes it or not! David Hackl, meanwhile (whose SAW V is considered by SAW-philes to be the nadir of the series thus far), will be handed the reins of a Lionsgate project to be (quickly) named later.
What does this mean for PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2? My first guess is a big payday for Oren Peli to come back and pull Paramount's ass out of the fire. If they're smart, they'll save their money and go with Steve Miner. But if the studio wants to save face, they'll demand satisfaction the old-school way...
