The Wicker Man nature in spring. By the time of the film's completion the studio had been bought by EMI, and British Lion was managed by Michael Deeley. The DVD commentary track states that studio executives suggested a more "upbeat" ending to the film, in which a sudden rain puts the flames of the wicker man out and spares Howie's life, but this suggestion was refused. Hardy subsequently had to remove about 20 minutes of scenes on the mainland, early investigations, and (to Lee's disappointment) some of Lord Summerisle's initial meeting with Howie. The first screening of the film was to trade and
The Wicker Man (film series) DVD on Amazon for the first three months after its release, a fact that director Robin Hardy was very proud of. "The Wrath of the Gods" was a planned romantic black comedy film written and to have been directed by Hardy, and based on "Twilight of the Gods", the final part of Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle. In this film, "the gods get their comeuppance." Hardy announced plans for a trilogy in a 2007 interview with "The Guardian" newspaper, though the first film in the trilogy, "The Wicker Man", was originally made in 1973, 34 years before. The third film was