A surprise ending! Water For Elephants reshoots in the home stretch

A report came out last night about reshoots but we wanted to see how this all unfolded. The information was first brought to our attention, mid-day Tuesday, from WFE extra, Emily:

Then this report came out later Tuesday evening from What’s Playing:

Haven’t seen the film myself, so can’t comment, but I have read both the book and the script of which Water for Elephants – the new film starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon – is based on, and can I just say, I think it’s a very solid, enjoyable yarn. I’m already predicting it might be one of my favorite films of the year – it’s story seems to encompass everything I require in a yarn.

The film – and source material – tells of a veterinary student, played by Pattinson, who abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.

Two different sources confirmed for me today that the film is undergoing reshoots this month.

One told me, “I’m being told that director Francis Lawrence has been asked to reshoot some of the movie – someone wants the film, which is a very stylistic almost jigsaw-puzzle of a film, to appeal to a broader audience than what it will in it’s current form (read : more commercial). That doesn’t mean it’s a poor film, in fact I could be a brilliant piece, it’s just a studio making sure they get the most bums on seats possible.”

Another, who has somewhat of a link to the production, says “It’s all good. The film is brilliant, man. Oscars 2012. Mark My Words. But yeah, what you’ve heard is true – we are doing new stuff. It’s all secondary character stuff”

The first scene to be reshot “involves a 9-month old baby (blue-eyed) who is going to playing with a small dog – a Jack Russell, I believe”, I was informed earlier today.

So… um, they’re adding cute stuff? or a pre-credits sequence? Young Robert Pattinson? Whatever the case, I’m fairly confident this is gonna be a must-watch flick.

The reshoots begin January 14.

If true, I have a different idea about what shot that could be but will leave it to your own imagination.

All this reshoot speculation came to a close Wednesday evening with a tweet from the director, Francis Lawrence:

A surprise! What an exciting response and intruing for people who have read the novel. Not all the cats are out of the bag

While we haven’t heard much from Mr. Lawrence during post-production, he has been wonderful at popping in at the right times and keeping fans in the loop.

If anymore reshoot info unfolds, we’ll keep you posted 100 more days until April 22nd!