Live Free or Die Hard director Len Wiseman (Underworld) has been developing a prequel titled McClane and it looked like filming could begin as early as 2019, but a new update from producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura seems to be giving the impression that it’s on pause while Disney figures out when/how they’ll schedule the 20th Century Fox projects. Lorenzo recently brought up McClane being in Disney’s hands while speaking with SlashFilm.
SLASH FILM: Looking ahead, do you have a start date for McClane yet?
DI BONAVENTURA: “I wish, not yet. I don’t know what’s going to happen there. It’s really up to them because obviously now they’re owned by Disney. My sense is that we won’t know much about it for a while they debate whatever they’re debating. I don’t know enough about their plans really to have any point of view. They like our script.”
What is telling is that Lorenzo does say that Disney likes their script and they did add Die Hard footage to their CinemaCon presentation sizzle-reel, which would suggest they want to do something with the franchise. If that’s Len Wiseman’s prequel that remains to be seen.
Disney #CinemaCon presentation kicks off with sizzle reel featuring Disney and Fox blockbusters. Aliens, Shape of Water, Die Hard, Captain Marvel, Logan, Black Panther and on and on and on. This thing is a juggernaut.
— Brent Lang (@BrentALang) April 3, 2019
Absolutely wild seeing Disney Studios sizzle reel with Hugh Jackman Wolverine, Deadpool, Avatar, Die Hard with Star Wars, Toy Story, and Avengers… #CinemaCon
— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) April 3, 2019
If they do move forward it’ll have to be made and distributed by 20th Century Fox given the mature material. Disney’s Alan Horn pointed out that Fox would still release R-rated movies that Disney wouldn’t be able to tackle.
Disney has already given the impression they want to continue the legacy franchises at 20th Century Fox including Alien, Predator, Kingsman, Avatar, Planet of The Apes, and others like Die Hard. It’ll be another thing if we end up seeing their planned reboots for stuff like Flash Gordon.
20th Century Fox has yet give McClane an official release date.
SOURCE: SLASH FILM
