Rupert Sanders had a successful directorial feature debut with this summer's Snow White and the Huntsman, which took in nearly $400 million worldwide for Universal Pictures. However, that success was marred in scandal after it was revealed the married filmmaker was having an affair with his star Kristen Stewart. Today, we have word that the director is in early talks to make Universal's Van Helsing remake, instead of Snow White and the Huntsman 2.

Nothing is set in stone yet, although it is believed that the studio wants to continue working with the director, but bringing him back for the sequel may be too controversial for the studio's liking. However, we reported in August that Kristen Stewart will not return for the sequel, with the follow-up reportedly focusing on Chris Hemsworth's Huntsman character. It seems that Universal is seeking a fresh start for the franchise, in front of and behind the camera.

We reported in May that Tom Cruise is attached to star in the Van Helsing reboot, with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman providing the screenplay. It is believed that this may be Tom Cruise's next project, after he wraps on All You Need Is Kill.