, the long-dormant sequel to Steven Spielberg’s box office smash, has tapped a new pair of writers, according to Deadline. While previous drafts have been written by William Monahan and indie film legend John Sayles, that draft has apparently been scrapped in favor of a fresh start from Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, best known for writing Rise of the Planet of the Apes.Deadline points out that revitalizing the franchise has likely become a priority for the studio, who have had some trouble getting new tentpole franchises off the ground. This summer, Universal has already had one high-profile failure with Battleship and the Jurassic Park and Mummy franchises are the ones with which they’ve had the most success in recent years.Steven Spielberg, who produces the films and directed the record-breaking first installment of the franchise, will not direct the franchise’s return. Apparently no cast or director is yet being considered.
