Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters was meant to be the start a film franchise when Paramount released it in 2013. However, domestic audiences failed to respond to it and the film earned only $55 million domestically. But a stronger than expected international take of $170 million kept the sequel hopes alive.
At least that was true until now. Deadline is reporting that Paramount has abruptly halted plans for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 2 even though Bruno Aveillan had already been signed to direct the follow up. In fact, the report on Deadline indicates that the Hansel & Gretel filmmakers were taken by surprise when the news came down.
Instead of a sequel, Paramount is repositioning Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters as a cable TV series with MGM partnering with Paramount TV. Deadline notes that it is “unclear” if Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton will reprise their roles as Hansel and Gretel.
Related: Blu-Ray Review | Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Unrated Cut)
Unclear? Try unlikely. Whatever deal Renner and Arterton signed to make Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 2 probably did not have a provision for the unlikely prospect that the film would be canceled so a TV series could take its place. And while neither Renner nor Arterton are box office draws by themselves, they are still movie stars and they probably won’t allow themselves to be tied to any television project.
That said, there is at least one way to retain the original cast and make Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters into a TV series. If Hansel & Gretel is pushed as a major event with only a limited number of episodes, then Renner and Arterton could potentially agree to do it. Netflix or one of the premium cable networks would be ideal for that scenario. But admittedly, it’s a long shot. The more likely scenario is that Paramount will recast the leads and start over.
Who would you cast as the leads of the new Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters TV series? Share your picks in the comment section below!
