Aniston Gets New Director on Graduate

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/10/2004 at 08:00 AM EDT

Veteran director Rob Reiner is taking over from first-timer Ted Griffin on the as-yet untitled update of the classic 1967 generation-gap comedy, The Graduate, starring Jennifer Aniston, Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Costner, Mena Suvari and Mark Ruffalo.

Variety reports that production was underway for 10 days when Griffin, who wrote the screenplay, was replaced with Reiner – whose credits include This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride.

In the plot, Aniston's character discovers that her mother (MacLaine) was the inspiration for Mrs. Robinson, a rich, bored Southern California wife who seduces her business partner's son, who has just graduated from college back East.

There were reports of trouble circulating from the set, including a suggestion by Aniston that initial scenes lacked the "right comic tone."

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Griffin (who also wrote Ocean's Eleven) also came under fire for not being attentive to the cast and not lighting his actors properly.

Filming has been shut down until Aug. 18, at which time Reiner will take command.