“The Huntsman” has a new director. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan has been tapped by Universal to replace Frank Darabont, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
It’s something of a promotion for Nicolas-Troyan, who received an Academy Award nomination in Visual Effects for his work on 2012’s “Snow White and the Huntsman,” which starred Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron.
Joe Roth is returning to produce, while Palak Patel will executive produce.
The sequel expands the universe established in the first film to reveal how the fates of two characters, the Huntsman Eric (Hemsworth) and Ravenna (Theron), intersected before they met Snow White (Stewart).
Stewart is not expected to reprise her role, while Emily Blunt is in negotiations to play The Snow Queen, Theron’s character’s sister.
Darabont, who left the project over creative differences, wrote the current draft of the screenplay, with earlier drafts by Craig Mazin and Evan Spiliotopoulos.
Nicolas-Troyan is represented by CAA, Management 360 and Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman.
Schmoes Know first reported Nicolas-Troyan was the frontrunner to replace Darabont.