We had always heard that Ronny Yu, who was originally slated to direct Snakes on a Plane, was replaced by David Ellis due to “creative differences.” Samuel L. Jackson let slip during an interview with Jon Stewart that Ronny Yu had, in fact, been fired. ASAP reporter Ryan Pearson (who was the first big-time reporter to interview me) got in touch with Ronny Yu and got his version of the story:
If you put Samuel L. Jackson in it, and you have snakes on a plane, who is the star of the show? Is it Samuel L. Jackson, or is it the snake? If you want Samuel L. Jackson to be the hero, then the snakes weren’t that important, because you knew at the end Samuel L. Jackson would save the day.
If I’m allowed the creative freedom, then I’ll do it a little differently with Samuel L. Jackson. I’ll make him more of a surprise for the audience. … He can be a cool guy, but kill off the cool guy, so people hate those snakes. Rather than have the normal hero come save the day, I think the audience wants to see something a little bit different, unpredictable. Of course, working with a studio you have to follow what they set down, what their rules are.
Would the film had been the same if Samuel L. Jackson had been knocked off after five minutes (it hasn’t worked all that well in the past)?
Oh wow welll FUUUCK Ronny Yu then. I know he’s Sam’s friend and Sam is my bro but about mid-movie I would’ve walked out if he had been killed. Snakes on a Plane isn’t some Hitchcockian thriller. It’s SNAKES ON A PLANE. Boo to Ronny Yu then. Yay for David Ellis.