Lately, it seems like directors are just starting to walk off film sets or backing out just days before production was set to begin. It might be due to lack of professionalism, but it might also just be due to ego. In this case, James Franco backed out of directing duties for 'The Garden of Last Days' just two weeks before production was officially scheduled to begin.
James Franco dropped out of directing 'The Garden of Last Days'
Deadline reports that $500,000 had already been spent on production, and the $3 million budget has also been scrapped. According to Deadline, Franco left the project because of, "A disagreement with financier Millennium over the crew he wanted to hire. Basically, Franco put together a few that didn’t have the experience to get approval from the bond company. Millennium wouldn’t approve his choices."
The synopsis of the film was, "A contemporary thriller set in the seamy underside of American life about three interwoven and ultimately explosive stories: A stripper out of options who brings her 3-year-old daughter to work; an angry, lonely man who gets thrown out of the club; and a foreigner with an endless supply of cash on the brink of committing a terrifying act."
Emilia Clarke was set to star in 'The Garden of Last Days'
Emilia Clarke was actually set to act in one of the lead roles, and with the rumored romance between Franco and Clarke, you'd think he wouldn't want to bail on the project. However, the only reasoning anyone can get right now is 'creative differences', which should never result in a $500,000 loss on a film this close to starting production.
James Franco on the Howard Stern show
