Snow White and the Huntsman 2 Release Date, Latest News: In Theaters April 22, 2016; No Snow White in Next Movie

By Kara Michelle Aug 22, 2014 09:04 AM EDT

Snow White and the Huntsman, the 2012 box office hit film adaptation of the well-known Grimm Brothers fairy tale, won't have a sequel but a prequel and it will be entitled "The Huntsman." Universal Pictures, according to a Deadline Hollywood report, has already announced that the prequel is scheduled for release to theaters on April 22, 2016.

Studio sources say that the prequel will reveal how the fates of two characters, The Huntsman Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and Ravenna (Charlize Theron), intersected before they met Snow White. Three-time Oscar nominee Frank Darabont will direct as well as write the screenplay based on previous drafts by Craig Mazin and Evan Spiliotopoulos. Joe Roth of Roth Films will be leading the production team.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Legendary Pictures will co-finance the production with Universal.The original Snow White and The Huntsman film, which grossed $396 million worldwide, was directed by Rupert Sanders. However, a scandal broke out after he was found cheating on his wife, Liberty Ross, with his star Kristen Stewart.

According to Cinema Blend, it will not only be Sanders who will not be returning to the follow up prequel film. Kristen Stewart too will not be reprising her Snow White role in the upcoming movie. Chris Hemsworth is contractually obligated to return and he will do so after completion of his work on Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Frank Darabont is best known for his film adaptations of the Stephen King novels The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist. He also developed and executive produced the first season of The Walking Dead TV series.