The A Quiet Place spin-off announced back in May for a spring 2023 release is going to need to find a new director. Deadline reports that filmmaker Jeff Nichols, who was set to write and direct the third film in the series, is “amicably parting ways” with Paramount Pictures on the production. A search for a replacement has already begun, and Nichols is stepping away not from the studio but from the film, focusing instead on a science fiction project that is in the works.
Nichols was set to take over directing duties from John Krasinski, who directed the first two films. A Quiet Place premiered at South by Southwest before being released theatrically on April 6th, 2018. It grossed $341 million worldwide. Its sequel, A Quiet Place Part II, had its premiere in New York City on March 8th, 2020, but saw its release delayed by an entire year due to the coronavirus pandemic. When it was released exclusively to theaters on May 28th, 2021, it made an impressive $298 million, further indicating audience interest in exploring more of the world of this series.
The third film will not center on the characters played by Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe but instead introduce a new story set in the same universe, though it is possible that the actors from the previous installments could appear. Further details are not yet available.
Nichols is no stranger to supernatural storytelling, with Take Shelter and Midnight Special among his credits, which also include Mud and Loving. Still apparently on board are producers Michael Bay, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller from Platinum Dunes, and producer Krasinski and executive producer Allyson Seeger for Sunday Night Productions.