Prehistoric Problem? [UPDATE]

Director Bob Peterson removed from The Good Dinosaur? I don't know about that...

Right now, I'm giving this rumor as much credence as the one that suggested that The Good Dinosaur's cast included Lil' Wayne... Meaning, I deny it's anything close to a solid fact. I'm waiting for an official confirmation.

Anyways, Honor Hunter at Blue Sky Disney out of nowhere let it out that Pixar's The Good Dinosaur has run into some problems, and that director Bob Peterson and producer John Walker have been removed from the project... Yet Lasseter reportedly still wants it ready for its May 2014 release. With both the director and the producer supposedly removed, that seems impossible. I normally trust this blog, and they have gotten a lot right... But I can't see this being reality just yet.

I don't believe this, like I said, I'm waiting for an official confirmation. This just does not seem to add up... One Pixar film went through a director change very late in the game, but that was once: Cars 2. Original director Brad Lewis was removed from the project in October 2010, just mere months away from the film's June 2011 opening.  The article, however, lists no source... Again, I'm waiting for an official confirmation from Disney, Pixar or whoever.

It seems like a rumor someone cooked up somewhere, because some are saying Peterson's no-show at the D23 Expo was an early hint at this. Maybe he didn't show up because other issues? You never know, really. Family issues? Health issues? That shouldn't be an indicator. The lack of a teaser shouldn't be an indicator either. Cars 2's teaser debuted in the fall rather than the usual summer before the Pixar release, and Up's teaser didn't show up before WALL-E. Though you could argue that Cars 2's teaser popped up the same time as the director change, but still...

Also, look at all the Star Wars rumors that have been flung at us recently. Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling in the film? The release date being pushed back to December 2015? I have a feeling that Pixar has become rumor mill fodder, and in the future, we'll probably hear more rumors like this. So take my advice... Wait for the official confirmation on this one.

Update - August 27, 2:59 PM: Bob Peterson removed his Twitter bio, and this is the first thing he's done on the site since his last tweet in June... Not a good sign...

Update - August 29, 12:50 PM: Bob Peterson's Twitter bio now says "Dwelling in the Cretaceous". Now this could mean a couple of things as far as I'm concerned...

#1. He's not off of the project at all. He's still the lead director. John Walker is also still on board as producer.

#2. He's not director anymore, but he's still heavily involved in some way or another. Maybe he couldn't handle directing duties, and Pete Sohn is carrying the baton from there.

#3. He has been removed from the project and he is very upset about it, so "Dwelling in the Cretaceous" may mean he's dwelling in the past? When he had control of his very, very personal project? A possible jab at Lasseter removing him?

What say you?

Update - August 30: Confirmed. Peterson is no longer directing, but he's still at Pixar and he may stay.