Replacing a director, even a first-timer, during production is rare in Hollywood. John Badham took over for Martin Brest two weeks into filming on MGM’s “WarGames,” in 1983. And Brian Levant grabbed the directing reins from Steve Rash on Universal’s “Beethoven” in 1992.

On Aug. 6 Warner Brothers booted Ted Griffin as director of his original story inspired by the 1967 classic “The Graduate” and replaced him with Rob Reiner 12 days into shooting. The script, about a young woman from Pasadena who discovers that her grandmother was the inspiration for the Mrs. Robinson character in “The Graduate,” was strong enough to lure a cast of top-notch actors, led by Jennifer Aniston.

But you have to go back to 1980, according to the Motion Picture Academy Library, to find another instance of Warner booting a director off a project (”Superman II”).

What has raised eyebrows about the case of the “untitled Reiner/Griffin comedy,” as it is now known, is that Mr. Griffin, hot off his scripts for Ridley Scott’s “Matchstick Men” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s Eleven,” had been putting his personal stamp on the original, quirky screenplay for more than three years. And Mr. Soderbergh agreed to produce Mr. Griffin’s directorial debut project with his partner in the production company Section Eight, George Clooney, who had starred in “Ocean’s Eleven” with Ms. Aniston’s husband, Brad Pitt, who also recently starred in Warner’s “Troy.”

The film, also stars Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Ruffalo and Mena Suvari. It no longer stars Charlie Hunnam, Leslie Ann Warren, Tony Bill and Greta Scacchi. They were scratched by the new director, Mr. Reiner (”When Harry Met Sally”). Continue reading ‘A Film Studio Fires a Director, Raising Eyebrows in Hollywood’

“The other week shooting began on what’s been nicknamed “Untitled Ted Griffin Project”. The film has Jennifer Aniston playing a woman who learns that her family was the inspiration for the book and film “The Graduate” — and that she just might be the offspring of the well-documented event. The film was to mark the directing debut of writer Ted Griffin (”Ocean’s 11″, “Matchstick Men”).

Now, ten days on Griffin has been replaced by veteran film helmer Rob Reiner according to Variety. Filming will shut down this week to enable Reiner’s deal and facilitate the helming transition. Reasons for the sacking are officially ‘creative differences’ although DH scooper ‘Patrick Bateman’ has some more on what went down:

“Griffin)has officially been canned. Most of the camera crew has been canned as well. Clooney and Soderbergh were on the set late Thursday of last week to drop the axes. Reiner HAS been signed, and the rights are somehow still intact on this “loose” sequel to the film that made Dustin Hoffman’s career, The Graduate.

Word is, is that Jennifer Aniston is VERY pleased with this decision since they had spent about 12 hours on a single scene involving a few of the cast in a bathroom, and still did not get the shot. I do believe this is Griffin’s FIRST directing attempt, and may very well be his last, for awhile at least.

Kevin Costner’s role may have to be changed or even recast, as his shooting schedule was built around his upcoming eedding that will be taking place on his property in Aspen. Since this “shake-up” will cause a delay, it is unknown whether or not he will remain in the cast at all.

Lastly, the 12 days of shooting that have already taken place are rumored to be scraped already, and the additional film-time has been added to the back end of the realm and will send this production into late October, possibly early November. Apparently the dailies were just bad”.

Source Dark Horizons. Thanks to Janis for sending this in!

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Rob Reiner is stepping in to replace Ted Griffin as director of Warner Bros. Pictures’ update of “The Graduate.”After just one week of principal photography, Griffin, a screenwriter who was making his directorial debut on the project, is being replaced, with Reiner in negotiations to take over the reins on what has been called the untitled Ted Griffin project. The studio has shut down filming, which it plans to resume Aug. 18. Continue reading ‘New Director for “Unititled Ted Griffin Project”’