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Universal has pulled the editing of 
Japanese epic "47 Ronin" from its director 
Carl Rinsch as the budget of the project 
has ballooned to $225 million, 
individuals close to the project told TheWrap.

The troubled 3D megaproduction has been 
taken over by Universal co-chairwoman Donna Langley, 
who is now overseeing the editing of the movie 
instead of the director, one of those individuals said.

The movie wrapped up a series of reshoots in London 
about one week ago, the purpose of which was to 
recapture key close-ups of lead actor Keanu Reeves 
and put him back in the center of the action 
in the film's most climactic scene.

The individual described the production process as a "nightmare."

Universal declined to comment for this story. 
A CAA representative for Rinsch did not 
have any immediate comment.

"47 Ronin" fictionalizes one of Japan's most legendary 
samurai tales, the story of a group of 18th century warriors 
who aim to avenge their master's death. Reeves, 
in his first starring role in a tentpole project since 
"The Matrix" trilogy, plays the lead in a mainly-Japanese cast.

The cost of Rinsch’s tale has now climbed past $225 million, 
an individual with knowledge of the production told TheWrap. 
Factoring in both the budget and the millions the studio 
will spend to market the film, Universal would need more than 
half a billion dollars at the global box office just to break even.

A Universal executive disputed that figure and said 
the budget had not veered from its original $175 million figure, 
despite the reshoots.

But there is no doubt that the production has been a mess.

An individual close to the movie, which is co-produced 
by Scott Stuber, Pamela Abdy and Eric McLeod, 
said that the director, a veteran of Heineken and BMW 
commercials on his first feature film, had buckled 
under the pressure of the ambitious shoot of "47 Ronin," 
and the studio had to step in to micromanage 
the latest round of reshoots from half a world away.

The studio was dissatisfied with the movie it saw 
coming together and seized control from Rinsch.

One individual with knowledge of the production said Rinsch, 
who during preproduction seemed creative and competent, 
struggled to control the filmmaking process. 
The studio then stepped in to oversee the project from Los Angeles, 
taking charge of the editorial development, 
including the cut of the film.

Firing Rinsch was not a possibility, as the Directors Guild 
of America requires that if a director completes physical production 
he must also take part in the reshoots. 
But with the reshoots done, the director was then pushed aside.

Marginalized in the initial sequences was Reeves, 
the lone actor well-known in the U.S. Universal opted to 
reshoot a major fight scene near the end of the film, 
as well as a few other scenes to sharpen 
the focus on Reeves' character Kai.

Kai was not even present in the final battle scene, 
whereas the new scene pits Kai against a supernatural creature. 

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