Universal to focus on Chris Hemsworth's Huntsman in Snow White sequel

[brightcove]1521722530001[/brightcove]

Universal have seemingly clarified their plans for the upcoming sequel to Snow White & The Huntsman , with THR reporting that the studio will focus on the character of the Huntsman second time out.

The studio had always considered focusing on Snow White in the first movie and the Huntsman in the second movie, and have decided to move ahead with that plan.

Screenwriter David Koepp will not be retained for the sequel, while the suggestion is that Kristen Stewart will also be departing. She may still appear in a cameo capacity, but she will not be the lead.

Focusing in on one character might help streamline the narrative somewhat. One of the main gripes with the first film was that the plot tried to crowbar too many characters into too slight a storyline.

On top of that, there's the obvious point that Chris Hemsworth's star is very much in the ascendancy, and his Huntsman character has plenty of potential to carry a solo film.

Continuing a Snow White franchise without the titular heroine might seem odd, but given that she had a full story arc in the first movie, there might not have been a huge amount for her to do in a sequel. Especially as we imagine it'll now be titled just ' The Huntsman .'

Whether or not director Rupert Sanders is retained by the studio remains to be seen. The studio hope to begin shooting the film by July 2013, when Hemsworth's schedule opens up (he's currently busy on Thor: The Dark World ).