In the wake of the Kristen Stewart-Rupert Sanders scandal, a report surfaced yesterday that Stewart had been “dropped” from a potential “Snow White and the Huntsman” sequel at Universal. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Kristen Stewart will not be invited to return if the follow-up goes forward.”

As yet, it’s undecided if the studio will do a straight sequel or a spinoff focusing on Chris Hemsworth’s Huntsman character. Two months before the release of “SWATH,” Universal chief Ron Meyer said that while the film “doesn’t appear to lend itself to a sequel, Universal thinks it can do more movies based on the character of the Huntsman if it is successful.”

According to The Los Angeles Times, Universal maintains that Stewart’s Snow White could still be a character in a Huntsman pic.

Deadline previously reported that David Koepp had been hired to script a straight sequel. But he isn’t going forward with that at the moment and no script will be written until Universal figures out the next move. Sanders has no option tying him to either film, but he is in the mix.

“The studio is currently exploring options to continue the franchise,” a Universal spokeswoman told THR.

HitFix’s Drew McWeeny has an interesting take on the flurry of reports from yesterday saying it was “a long day of hysterical headlines and wild overreaction.”

Given the public interest in the Stewart-Sanders dalliance and the resultant ramifications on Sanders’ marriage and Stewart’s relationship with “Twilight” co-star and real-life boyfriend, Robert Pattinson,  McWeeny estimates the hubbub came because “people want to believe the idea that Hollywood is going to punish the sexually active young woman while rewarding the cheating husband.” His full take is here.

Meanwhile, Universal acquired the Dean Unkefer book “90 Church: The True Story Of The Narcotics Squad From Hell” for Sanders with producers Joe Roth and Palak Patel producing with Deborah Giarratana, Deadline reported Tuesday. The book was sold by CAA in a preemptive deal.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kristen-stewart-dropped-snow-white-sequel-hemsworth-361945

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-kristen-stewart-could-still-reprise-snow-white-role-robert-pattinson-20120814,0,6260028.story

http://www.showblitz.com/2012/08/universal-is-pursuing-a-snow-white-and-the-huntsman-spinoff-that-would-center-on-chris-hemsworth-the-original-plan-the-studi.html