After the debacle that was “Exorcist: Believer,” and as the ghost of William Friedkin continues to haunt him, David Gordon Green quickly set up his next film, an indie called “Nutcrackers.”
Last month, I reported on the film and then, a few weeks later, Deadline corroborated my story, adding that Ben Stiller would star as the lead. I’m now hearing that Green’s shooting his film in 35mm. He’s going old school.
Shooting on “Nutcrackers,” based on a screenplay by Leland Douglas (“Call of the Wild.”), is set to wrap in a few days. Here’s the brief synopsis we have:
In an unexpected turn of events, four siblings discover a nurturing haven in the most improbable place.
Green was, at some point in time, a filmmaker I deeply respected, but he then went so far off the deep end in Hollywood claptrap. This return to his indie roots could signify a fresh start for him.
The 47-year-old filmmaker was once heralded as the heir to Terrence Malick with his first four films: “George Washington,” “All the Real Girls,” “Undertow” and “Snow Angels.” The late Roger Ebert was also a major fan of his.
Green has since dabbled here and there with indie filmmaking (“Joe,” “Stronger,” “Prince Avalanche”), but these last five years he has become a full-on whore for Blumhouse. The question now remains whether he’ll drop out of the ‘Exorcist’ franchise he kickstarted this past September.
After the poor reception of “Exorcist: Believer,” THR’s sources claimed that there would be a creative re-think for the next two films, this after Green had expressed doubt about his future participation.