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"This rumor came from comments made by producer Gale Ann Hurd at the Comic-Con panel for the film. Hurd said that Lexi was not in attendance for the film’s panel because she was “on her honeymoon.†Many websites took this comment as she was off the project."
Actually, it was Harry at AICN's report that sparked the rumor. He claimed to have a very reliable source who came to him out of sheer frustration and allegedly claimed that Lexi had been pulled off the movie because of differences of opinion regarding heavy metal music replacing the score.
The "honeymoon" comment along with the AICN report and the pulling of all PWZ references from Lexi's blog combined are what started the rumor.
"Rumors have been flying around the interwebs for a few months now that Alexander was having problems with the project"
I search and scan a number of websites several times a day for any and all PWZ related production news. Been doing so for months. Never heard of this before.
"...and it would only be logical after the overwhelmingly negative response to the first trailer that both Lionsgate and Marvel would want to go in a different direction."
Bull. LGF is the one who edited the very first teaser according to Lexi's blog made a day or two after it's release on the web. She claimed she had nothing to do with that and was suprised that LGF was editing a teaser to release and had not been informed about it.
That always struck me as odd. ???
"it was Harry at AICN’s report that sparked the rumor. He claimed to have a very reliable source who came to him out of sheer frustration and allegedly claimed that Lexi had been pulled off the movie because of differences of opinion regarding heavy metal music replacing the score."
It was Harry that started the rumor here: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37642
"LGF is the one who edited the very first teaser according to Lexi’s blog made a day or two after it’s release on the web. She claimed she had nothing to do with that and was suprised that LGF was editing a teaser to release and had not been informed about it."
And you are right about Lionsgate cutting the trailer (although, to be specific Alexander just said that she didn't know it was coming out, not that she had nothing to do with it), but I can assure you the negative response to the film overall after it was released put them into panic mode.
"I search and scan a number of websites several times a day for any and all PWZ related production news. Been doing so for months. Never heard of this before."
This hasn't yet blown up -- but it has been subtly mentioned in a few places. Perhaps I am also working with some insider information here... I guess we'll see how right I am sometime down the road. ;)
Here is what Lexi wrote in her blog about the first teaser trailer:
"I'm not sure what kind of impression I would get from this trailer if I didn't actually know the film. I am utterly impressed, though, they managed to find that much PG rated action footage at all. It had to be a challenge to cut a trailer from our
action stuff without showing any gore and blood." - Lexi Alexander
Certainly doesn't give the impression that she had anything to do with it considering her references to what "they" managed to cut from "our" footage.
But who knows?
Yes, It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. I have the best wishes for PWZ. I just hope we get gory, bloody action, coherent plot, and decent original score. Not a Nu-metal music video.
I got the impression that's what LGF wants.
Neil, Do you have any idea what is meant by making PWZ "presentable?"
I too have best wishes, as I am a big fan of The Punisher. Despite the fact that I was deeply saddened by Tom Jane having to walk away from this project, I would still like to see something quality come out the other end.
And as far as the "presentable" part, I believe it has something to do with better action beats -- though I am not 100% sure. I heard through the grapevine that one of the words being tossed around to describe one of Lexi's rough cuts was "train wreck." So take that for what it's worth.
Its cheap and becomes a marketing ploy to get the soundtrack cheap !!!!
She's right in walking I support Lexi.
their OTHER comic book movie December release. Personally, I think the War Zone footage
looks better than The Spirit footage I've seen.
Sigh... The Spirit is a whole different bag of problems. Yet, I am not sure how I would react if Frank Miller would be taken off of it (something that certainly won't happen). With Miller, I say let him put his vision out there and we will judge it on its own merits.
With Punisher, we are talking about constant problems -- replacing Tom Jane with Ray Stevenson, bringing on Lexi Alexander (who is relatively untested), etc. This production is a mess and I can only hope that Marvel can help Lionsgate straighten it out before someone pulls the handle on the toilet.
1. Lexi Alexander was spoke highly of and described as a "tough chick" who was right for the movie and the statement about her being on her honeymoon just sounded like she was on her honeymoon.
2. The "gore" scenes they shown were indeed set to heavy metal type music and was introduced by one of the producers.
On all boards I've been to, aswell as the comments section on for instance Youtube, the response to that has been damn near overwhelming.
Has this helped LGF get out of panic mode? They surely must realize that the first trailer wasn't the best in terms of editing.
Did Gale Ann Hurd promise you a crew jacket? A job as her assistant? You clearly have
your facts wrong and if you would have done some responsible research and interviewed
any member of crew or cast, then you too would have joined the opinion shared by the
entire PWZ cyber community. You think it’s an accident that most of her crew and cast
members signed that petition that was created by a random fan? She has our loyalty
because she fought for all of us and she was there everyday, or better said every night,
in the freezing cold on brutal locations. ( I believe the actor who portrayed Paul
Budiansky signed the petition with the comment “loyalty for loyaltyâ€.)
I have made over 30 films, many of them big budget and I have never experienced a
tougher shoot, nor have I ever seen a director more abandoned during production. They
just left her to run this machine by herself and if the great Gale Ann Hurd says anything
different, she is full of it. She showed up once in a while, but the Hulk was shooting
simultaneously and any of their crew members will tell you that she was with them
(although equally as ineffective on that production I hear).
As a matter of fact, some of us had a running joke about the legend producer. When we
were in the worst toxic location, Gale Hurd, we were told, was on location in sunny Brazil
for the Hulk. So whenever somebody was late or MIA on set, instead of saying “half day?â€
we would say “Brazil?â€
Lexi on the other hand, not only showed up every night even while she ran a fever and
had the skin literally frozen off her face, she also managed to inspire the entire cast and
crew to think of this film as a very special, special production.
When I first signed on to the job, I only did it for the paycheck. Punisher 2 wasn’t
necessarily on my wish list of movies I was dying to work on. After a few days working
with Lexi and her talented DP, we all felt we were working on a masterpiece. They were
so passionate about the film that we all got totally swept up in it.
In the beginning of principal photography, I used to feel sorry for Lexi because she was
so young and so little to be left alone on a shoot like that. I was certain she would fall
apart. I couldn’t have been more wrong. She is one tough cookie and essentially she
ended up getting all of us through this hell of a production.
After all of that, it makes us sick to see how Marvel, Lionsgate and Gale Hurd treat her.
This is so not right. A bunch of us have seen her cut and are aware of the changes the
studio wants to make and trust me, no Punisher fan would agree with those changes. If
the suits would have any balls at all, they would find a dozen hardcore Punisher fans on
the web, invite them to a screening of the director’s cut and a screening of the studio’s
cut, to see which they prefer. Personally, my money is on Lexi’s cut.
Who ever accused Lexi of being childish and erratic clearly has not met her. The woman
we worked for in Montreal was mature way beyond her years and I doubt she had a
complete change of character within the past six months.
Neil, the way we see it, you are the Judas who crosses the picket line because you were
offered a promotion.
Shame on you.
Head up Lexi, we’re with you
Your words have already spread into the imdb and globalpunisherarmy, some of the most pro-Lexi sites on the web.
We would love it if you could share some of your experiences and impression with us hard core fans who have supported Lexi from day one on those boards.
Lexi, if you are reading this, we are all behind you.
I have much more faith in her vision for this than any damned LGF exec or the phony b*tch Hurd.
For someone who claims to be so big on loyalty, she's quite possibly the most disloyal, not to mention devious person I have ever worked with and that's putting it politely.
And trust me, I'm far from alone in thinking that way.