David O. Russell Won’t Make ‘Pride And Prejudice And Zombies’
This might come as more of a confirmation of something we’d suspected than anything else, butDavid O. Russell, who’ll haveThe Fighterin theaters soon, will no longer adapt the novelPride and Prejudice and Zombiesfor the screen. Instead, he’ll makeOld St. Louis, starringVince Vaughn.
Vulturesays that scheduling conflicts were the problem;Natalie Portmancouldn’t startPride and Prejudice and Zombieswhen Russell had intended to start, he’s moved on toOld St. Louis. There’s no suggestion thatP&P&Zis no longer happening, or that Portman is no longer doing it, only that David O. Russell will not take part.
There are two other casting repercussions that Vulture notes. One is that, becauseScarlett Johanssonis also not available for Russell’s spring shoot date for Old St. Louis, she’ll no longer be a part of that film. She wasin talksfor a role back in August.
ButChloe Moretz, who was rumored to play Vince Vaughn’s daughter when the project wasfirst announced, will likely be able to take part in the shoot after once passing on the role due to her own scheduling problems.
Vulture doesn’t mention the Jim Carrey ‘cover band comedy’Under Cover, for which Russell wasrecently saidto be a top contender, but it seems likely he’s out of the running there.
Old St. Louiswas written by Russell, and will feature Vaughn as “a traveling salesman who has been an absentee father, and how his life changes when his daughter becomes part of his life.”
David O. Russell’sThe Fighterwill get a limited release on Decem10 before going wide on December 17.
