"A little privacy while I fill this."

Faced with the challenge of not being able to decimate any landmarks has given Roland Emmerich cold feet. It came as a surprise when the Independence Day and 2012 director signed on the direct the low-budget, “found footage” alien invasion flick The Zone, given the ginormous budgets with which he’s used to working.

Shooting was slated to begin next week but now the plug has abruptly been pulled when the director’s camp commented, “This is not a project (Emmerich) is pursuing at this time.” Of course, Timur Bekmambetov‘s plans to release the similar “found footage” alien tale, Apollo 18, just a few weeks before The Zone‘s slated release date doesn’t help matters. That, and I’ve heard that the creator of The Zone Diet is really well lawyered up. (THR)