The filmmaker reportedly has delayed the long-gestating project until after he completes work and promotion on 'The Shape of Water', due out December 8, and potential awards season activity.
- Aug 26, 2017
AceShowbiz - Guillermo del Toro's "Fantastic Voyage" remake has been delayed. The long-gestating project, which del Toro signed on to direct over a year and a half ago, has been put on hold until after awards season, Deadline reports.
The site says the project will be del Toro's next project after he completes work and promotion on "The Shape of Water", the sci-fi film he co-wrote and directed which is due out in the U.S. December 8. The film is playing at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and is expected to be an awards season contender, explains the site.
The original plan was to start production on "Fantastic Voyage" next spring for a holiday 2019 release. But with his "Shape of Water" commitments and the potential awards season activity, the project will now restart its lengthy preparation period in spring 2018 to begin production by the following fall, pushing the release to 2020.
Sources have told the site that del Toro remains firmly committed to the film about a scientist with a potentially fatal health problem who gets five of his colleagues to be miniaturized in a ship and injected into his bloodstream to save his life. Set to make use of the same 3D technology Cameron used for "Avatar", "Fantastic Voyage" is the remake of the of the 1965 film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Raquel Welch and Donald Pleasence.
The project would unite del Toro with his longtime friend Cameron and screenwriter David Goyer ("Batman Begins", "Man of Steel") who penned "Blade II". Cameron, Jon Landau and Rae Sanchini are producing, with Goyer on board to executive produce.
A remake of the sci-fi classic has been in the depths of development hell for many years with a revolving door of potential helmers (Roland Emmerich, Paul Greengrass, Shawn Levy), stars (Will Smith, Hugh Jackman) and screenwriters (Shane Salerno, Laeta Kalogridis, Marianne & Cormac Wibberley).
