Summit Entertainment has tapped Robert Schwentke to direct Insurgent, the studio’s sequel to its upcoming YA adaptation Divergent, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The film is slated to hit theaters March 20, 2015, with Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman on board to rework the script by Brian Duffield. Divergent director Neil Burger already had decided not to return for the sequel because of scheduling conflicts.
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“Robert, with whom we have already had a successful relationship, has proven a master storyteller in multiple genres and we can’t wait to see what he brings to Veronica Roth‘s next installment of the Divergent series. As well, we are very happy to welcome Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman to the team as executive producers,” said Erik Feig, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group’s president of production.
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Schwentke’s previous credits include 2010’s Red and last year’s R.I.P.D., one of last summer’s box office bombs. The action comedy from Universal cost between $130 million and $150 million to produce but brought in just $12.8 million in it’s opening weekend.
Divergent is based on Roth’s popular YA trilogy and stars Shailene Woodley as a teen living in a futuristic North America, where people are divided into groups based on certain values. Each citizen is allowed to select the group – or faction – they will live in once they turn 16. Theo James also stars.
Divergent hits theaters March 21. A third film in the series, Allegiant, is due out March 18, 2016.
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