Kristen Stewart's role uncertain in "Snow White and the Huntsman" sequel plans
(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Universal Pictures is continuing to pursue a sequel to "Snow White and the Huntsman," in the wake of Kristen Stewart's affair with the film's director, Rupert Sanders.
But whether or not Stewart will have a role in a "Snow White" sequel is currently unclear.
Universal co-chairman Donna Langley said in a statement Wednesday that the studio is "currently exploring all options to continue the franchise" and that reports of Stewart's exit "are false."
Since Stewart, who played Snow White in "Snow White and the Huntsman," and Sanders, its married, 41-year-old director, issued public apologies for a tryst captured by photographers, the future of "Snow White" has been uncertain.
The film, which also starred Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth, was intended to launch a franchise, and its worldwide gross of $389.3 million was a promising enough start.
The Hollywood Reporter reported Tuesday that Universal was shifting the sequel to focus on the Huntsman character, played by Hemsworth. The report claimed that Stewart was being dropped.
According to Deadline, production for another "Snow White and the Huntsman" film is moving on a "slower track" as Universal decides whether to make a sequel or a spinoff centering on Hemsworth's Huntsman, and no script will be written until the studio "figures out the next move."
The Los Angeles Times reports that Stewart's Snow White could still have a role in the Huntsman-centered project. Universal has yet to chose a screenwriter or a director, but Sanders remains on the list of potential director candidates, the report added.
Universal declined to comment further on its plans.
