Kenny Ortega the director of Michael Jackson’s This is It has dropped out of directing the remake of the film Footloose.

Kenny Ortega has dropped out as director of Footloose over differences with Paramount Pictures on tone and budget, reports Variety. Ortega directed Wednesday opener Michael Jackson’s This Is It.

The studio is starting the search for a new director to keep the project on track for a March production start, when star Chace Crawford is on hiatus from “Gossip Girl.” Crawford is starring with Julianne Hough, the “Dancing With theStars” dancer and country singer.

The trade says that Ortega wanted to make a film with elaborately staged musical numbers at a budget of about $30 million. Paramount production chief Adam Goodman wanted an edgier drama with less emphasis on the musical numbers and a budget around $25 million or less.

Kenny Ortega is a really awesome guy, I’m sure his reasoning made a lot of sense. He has a vision and he likes to see it come to fruition in the way he plans it, there are plenty of other projects out there that he’ll be helming with great success.

Source: Coming Soon

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