Tommy Wirkola won't Direct 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' Sequel

Tommy Wirkola has already written the script for a sequel to Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and begun trying to convince Jeremy Renner to reprise his role, but does he intend to get back behind the camera for it? Turns out the answer is no, as Wirkola tells Fangoria he's decided to pursue other projects instead.

Wirkola:  “I’ve just decided to not direct HANSEL & GRETEL 2. I have been lately attached to a few more things, it’s just a matter of time and priorities. I did DEAD SNOW 1, then HANSEL & GRETEL 1, and then DEAD SNOW 2. I want to do something a little bit different now and not just do sequels. I did write the script and I hope to be involved in it. But yeah, I won’t be directing it.”

It's solid reasoning, and Wirkola is right to not want to be stuck in a cycle of making cheesy, R-rated horror comedies. His influence will clearly still be felt but this is a pretty good opportunity for another young director to make his name on. Wirkola's next film Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead opens on October 10th.

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Jeremy Renner Teases 'Captain America 3' Appearance; Is Open to 'Hansel & Gretel 2' Return

One of the sad consequences of Matt Damon's return to the Jason Bourne role is that it basically derails Jeremy Renner's sequel to The Bourne Legacy. It was his first crack at leading a solo franchise and while it didn't do huge numbers Renner made for a kickass super agent. Of course he has plenty of other franchise experience, and now we're getting updates on what could be another Marvel appearance, plus his potential return for a Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters sequel.

Renner's Hawkeye hasn't made an appearance since The Avengers, but with Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow adding so much to Captain America: The Winter Soldier (it's the second highest-grossing film of 2014), the plan could be to add the archer to Captain America 3.  He tells MTV that the idea is being considered, while shooting down any notions of a Hawkeye solo film...for now.

Renner: "I’m happy to be the ensemble. I'm not scratching or clawing to do a solo movie by any means. I think he's a utility guy that can bounce around into other people’s universes a little bit, especially 'Cap 3'. There's whispers of that."

Hawkeye will be seen next battling a robotic James Spader in Avengers: Age of Ultron, hitting theaters on May 1st 2015. Captain America 3 sees the return of directors Joe and Anthony Russo, opening May 6th 2016.

Meanwhile, Renner is also open to the idea of coming back for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 2, which director Tommy Wirkola recently finished scripting. The original film, a campy R-rated mash-up of fairy tales and monster movies, was trashed by critics but ended up scoring $225M worldwide. A sequel was quickly ordered up and Wirkola recently expressed his desire for Renner for Gemma Arterton to return if they could fit it into their busy schedules. For what it's worth, Renner seems very open to the idea even though he's not yet signed. He tells Cinemablend...

Renner:  "I don't have any problem with it. Yeah. It was a lot of fun. It was fun to do that movie, and just have a ball."

We'll see what happens with that one. Renner next plays journalist Gary Webb in Kill the Messenger, opening on October 10th. 

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Release Dates: 'Transformers 5' and 'Star Trek 3' in 2016, 'Bourne 5' Moved to Same Year

Michael Bay told us Transformers: Age of Extinction was the start of a new trilogy with Mark Wahlberg basically confirming it, and now we see Paramount taking steps to prepare for the franchise's future. Whether that will include Bay's direction is still kind of up in the air, but we do know the film will arrive in 2016.

The announcement was made today at CineEurope that not only will Transformers 5 arrive that year, but the studio will be going sequel and remake crazy in 2016 with Star Trek 3, Beverly Hills Cop, G.I. Joe 3, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 2, and Paranormal Activity 5, which apparently won't come out in 2014 after all. They will also release Timur Bekmambetov's remake of Ben-Hur that same year. Star Trek 3 recently gained a director in longtime screenwriter Roberto Orci, and the plan to release it in 2016 coincides with plans to have the film ready by the franchise's 50th anniversary.

Over on the Universal lot, they've bumped the fifth 'Bourne' film eleven months to July 15th 2016. Justin Lin recently came aboard to direct the returning Jeremy Renner, reprising his role from The Bourne Legacy as super-agent Aaron Cross. [THR]

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