"The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" might have reeled in almost $70 million but the amount isn't enough to ensure the sequels in the series written by Cassandra Clare would become a hit. News has it that production for "City of Ashes" has been delayed and because of that Clare has decided to jump ship. Are the talks true that Cassandra Clare has decided to abandon the production for "The Mortal Instruments?"

Lily Collins along with Jamie Campbell Bower, Robert Sheehan, Jemima West and Kevin Zegers were scheduled to come back this month for production on "City of Ashes." Yet, news has it that the schedule has been pulled back following the "disastrous" opening of "City of Bones" at the box office.

"Constantin Film has a long tradition of adapting books to the big screen. Pushing back the start of production of 'City of Ashes' was a decision we did not take lightly. But after speaking with all of our partners on the creative and distribution side, it was clear that it will be beneficial to have more time to reposition the film in the current market place," said Martin Moszkowicz executive producer of Constantin in a report by The Wrap, adding, "'The Mortal Instruments' series has an incredibly loyal and ardent fan base and is a bestselling book series. While taking Cassandra Clare's vision to the screen, we want to make sure to draw on the full potential of the franchise."

Produced by Constantin Films, "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" only managed to make $70 million which is hardly a hit compared to that of "Twilight", "Hunger Games" and "Harry Potter." This has led to a delay in production for "City of Ashes" which author Cassandra Clare dubs as a "good thing."

"Speaking for myself - and honestly, for readers and fans, too - I think a delay could be good. The draft of the screenplay I saw for the first time last week was very far from the book City of Ashes, and if they'd really started shooting in September there wouldn't have been time to change it. From the limited amount I know, it seems to me better to take the time to get it right than to rush ahead," wrote Clare on her official Tumblr account.

However Flavorwire.com reports that Cassandra Clare had a change of heart with regards to the film and is "jumping ship" all thanks to a tweet sent out by the author.

Source: Twitter

Has Cassie Clare truly abandoned the film franchise? Hopefully, these reports are all assumptions and Clare would clear these rumours up.

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