It looks as though the first film in Patrick Rothfuss’s ‘Kingkiller Chronicle’ series is in need of a new director.
A source close to the project has told ScienceFiction.com that Sam Raimi, who was slated to direct the first film, is no longer involved. Attempts to reach representatives at Lionsgate, the studio behind the films, for comment were unsuccessful.
It was announced back in January that Raimi was going to direct the first movie. The movies and Showtime prequel series have Rothfuss and ‘Hamilton’ creator, award-winning musician, and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda as executive producers. Miranda is also slated to write original songs for both the movies and TV series. A video game of the series is also in the works.
The ‘Kingkiller Chronicle’ fantasy novels follow Kvothe, a musician who becomes so much more, as he attempts to tell his life’s story to a scribe in three days, with each day making up a book in the series. So far, Rothfuss has published ‘The Name of the Wind’ and ‘The Wise Man’s Fear.’ No word yet on when his third novel will be released, although fans have been clamoring for the book for years.
Losing Raimi as director could create a setback for Lionsgate. Vice Chairman Michael Burns recently said in a conference that Lionsgate is looking to get bigger, and the success or failure of the first ‘Kingkiller Chronicle’ movie would determine if there would be a second or third. Things seem a little more settled for the prequel series on Showtime, as John Rogers, who created ‘The Librarians‘ will serve as showrunner. The prequel series will take place one generation before the events of ‘The Name of the Wind.’
More on this story as it develops.
