Von Donnersmarck out of ‘Tourist’? Not so fast.

Last week I passed along news that Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men) was being lined up to replace Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) as the director of The Tourist and that Johnny Depp might replace Sam Worthington as Angelina Jolie’s costar in the film.

Alas, don’t always believe what you read in the trades. On the red carpet of last night’s Behind the Camera Awards, Movieline’s Kyle Buchanan asked the director what happened with the film and von Donnersmarck claimed he was still attached to it. As for the trade reports, Buchanan quotes the director as saying, “It’s just a way of talking about the business, and sometimes things get out about heated points of discussion. We’ll see how it plays out with that one.”

Was the Cuaron rumor leaked by someone at the studio hoping to pressure von Donnersmarck over whatever speed bumps they’re having in negotiations or has the guy really been sacked without having been told? Since Cuaron wasn’t officially on board in last week’s reports, I’m guessing it’s the former…with emphasis on the word “guessing.”

If the Cuaron part of the story proves to be false, what about the Johnny Depp part of the story? I was quietly hoping it would throw a monkey wrench in Jerry Bruckheimer’s plans for a 4th Pirates of the Caribbean movie, delaying it if not negating it altogether.

We’ll see what happens. In the mean time, no matter what his status with The Tourist, von Donnersmarck says he’s nearly finished writing a “political action drama.” One assumes it will be his next project if the current one really falls through.

Filed under: Rumors