Lack of ALLEGIANT fans lead to bad news for ASCENDANT.
After a serious box office fumble in the opening weekend for Allegiant, the Divergent Series is looking to make some major changes for the final movie in its 4-film series, Ascendant.
In a new article from The Hollywood Reporter, an anonymous insider who worked with Lionsgate on the films says that the studio is planning to cut several million dollars from The Divergent Series: Ascendant budget in light of Allegiant‘s $29.1 million dollar opening weekend, which is down 44 percent from Insurgent‘s opening weekend.
“The budget for the next one will be reduced [compared to the previous film]. They haven’t said by how much,” the source adds, but it is expected several millions of dollars will be trimmed at the very least.
Though the actress herself has not confirmed it, nor has the studio, the insider also claims that star Shailene Woodley had some qualms with Director Robert Schwentke and the script for the films.
“She was complaining about him, but she was equally complaining about the speed of the movies and not taking the time to get a script right.”
The insider also claims that the stress of the studio’s quickness over quality approach is ultimately what led Schwentke to leave the franchise.
It’s definitely a disappointment for fans to see the direction that the franchise has taken, but hopefully there will be some reprisals for long-time series lovers in the final act, The Divergent Series: Ascendant, when it comes to theaters on June 9, 2017.