Studio regrets splitting Divergent finale into two movies

Lionsgate, the studio behind the ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Twilight’ movies, regretted splitting the final instalment of the ‘Divergent’ movie series into two parts, claims one of its directors.

Neil Burger, who helmed the first movie in the franchise, released in 2014, was speaking about the plans the company now has to make the final ‘Divergent’ film a TV project instead.

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“I think it’s sad,” he told The Hollywood Reporter at the New York Film Festival.

“I was just talking to the people at Lionsgate about something else recently, and it’s just that they got themselves into a difficult bind through various circumstances.

“I don’t think they feel like they should’ve split [the last book] into two [films]. If they hadn’t, they would’ve been in much better shape, but at the time I’m sure they were excited and they saw some potential there.

“It’s just too bad because I love all those actors, and they were very loyal to it. They’re still really trying to figure out what they’re gonna do with it.”

The first movie, based on the books by veronica Roth, failed to have the same impact as the ‘Hunger Games’ series, making $288 million.

The follow-up, ‘Insurgent’, cost more, but made just shy of $300 million.

But the third movie, the first instalment of ‘Allegiant’, the last book in the trilogy, made just $179 million worldwide, and only $66 million in the US.

Following news that the last movie, being called ‘Ascendent’, could go to the small screen, the movies’ star Shailene Woodley, who plays the role of protagonist Tris, said that she ‘didn’t sign up to be in a television show’.

“They haven’t finalized any decisions, so it’s actually a moot point to talk about it now, out of respect to Lionsgate and everyone involved,” she added. “I’m not exactly sure where they stand so we are kind of all in a limbo game.

“I signed up to tell the whole story of Tris, and I would love to be able to do that. Nothing would make me happier.”

It’s not clear as yet whether Woodley’s co-stars Miles Teller or Ansel Elgort would stick around for a TV finale either.