Tate Taylor Replaces Matthew Newton as Director of Jessica Chastain’s ‘Eve’

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Tate Taylor has replaced Matthew Newton as director of Jessica Chastain’s “Eve,” two weeks after Newton left the project following online backlash due to his history of alleged assault and domestic violence.

Chastain announced earlier this month that she would star in and produce, through her Freckle Films production company and Voltage Pictures, the character-driven action movie “.” Newton, who wrote the script, was also named director.

“Eve” is produced by Nicolas Chartier and Dominic Rustam alongside Chastain and her Freckle Films partner Kelly Carmichael. Newton had also been set to produce.

Chastain has been a strong supporter of the #MeToo movement. Newton said he was stepping down due to the responses to his attachment and added, “I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past. I can never undo the harm that I’ve caused the people I’ve cared about and I carry that shame and responsibility with me every day.”

Taylor worked with “Chastain” on 2011’s “The Help,” which led to Chastain receiving an Oscar nomination in the supporting actress category. He directed 2014’s “Get On Up” and 2016’s “Girl on the Train” and is in post-production on the Blumhouse thriller “Ma,” which stars Octavia Spencer, Luke Evans, Juliette Lewis, Missi Pyle, and Allison Janney.

The news about Taylor was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.