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David O. Russell's unrealized projects
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During his career, film director David O. Russell has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these productions fell in development hell or were cancelled.[1]
1990s
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Untitled Industrial Revolution epic
In the mid-'90s, prior to Three Kings, Russell had researched and planned a film epic set during the Industrial Revolution. He spoke of the project in 2011, during an interview conducted by Spike Jonze:
"Weirdly, I was researching a movie that turned out to be a lot like There Will Be Blood. I was researching [a story] about a father and a son that at the beginning of the oil thing, in the Oklahoma oil fields. I went to Princeton University and I met the history department and I was going to do this whole thing about the 20th century and what industrialization meant."
Ultimately, Russell scrapped the idea because he thought it would be "arrogant" to try to make a judgment about the 20th century.[2]
Untitled Jason Schwartzman film
Speaking on an episode of Marc Maron's podcast, actor Jason Schwartzman revealed that after he had finished Rushmore in 1998, he was pitched a project by Russell. The film was to have been an ensemble piece, including original songs that were written by Schwartzman. According to the actor, the film had even entered the late stages of pre-production: "There was a cast, a crew, a script and I was prepared to do it and we were talking about it and having these meetings and a few weeks before we started it he called me on the phone and he said, I'm going to pause this movie because it just doesn't feel right and I don't wanna do something unless it feels right, I promised myself I wouldn't do that."[3]
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2000s
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Benny Hernandez
In 2000, Russell intended to direct a documentary on the boxer/actor Benny Hernandez.[4] At the time, Jeff Baena was hired to be an assistant editor for the online documentary, before contributing some writing ideas.[5]
Temple Grandin
In 2002, Russell was attached to direct the Temple Grandin biopic for HBO, but was later replaced by Mick Jackson.[6]
Jeff Baena collaborations
Russell collaborated on a total of four scripts together with Jeff Baena, only one of which was produced into a feature film.[7]
The H Man Cometh
In 2006, Russell was in pre-production with Vince Vaughn on a film titled The H-Man Cometh, about sarcastic radio call-in show host Hume Stevens who takes on the qualities of his neurotic patrons.[8] Elizabeth Banks was also attached to the project, later saying that, "Yeah, there was a David O. Russell movie that I really wanted to make with Vince Vaughn that ended up falling apart. I mean, I don’t get depressed, it’s just the nature of the game."[9][10] Russell rewrote the screenplay, based on a draft done by David Cohen and Tony Lord.[11]
Members Only
On January 22, 2014, ABC had given a straight-to-series 13-episode order to a drama series from Russell and Susannah Grant.[12][13][14] The script for the pilot episode was written by Grant. Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly also signed on as executive producers of show. First pitched as an FX series from Russell and writer Josh Lieb in 2006,[15] the show was described as an upstairs-downstairs soap opera set at a private country club.[16] On February 26, 2014, Russell departed the series as executive producer, saying "I'm not really transitioning right now to TV projects."[17][18] Members Only, originally titled The Club, was canceled by ABC before its premiere.[19]
Nailed / Accidental Love
The Grackle
In November 2008, Russell was in talks with New Line Cinema to direct Mike Arnold and Chris Poole's raucous comedy script of The Grackle. Matthew McConaughey was attached to star as a New Orleans barroom fighter who hires himself out for $250 to settle disputes for people who can't afford to hire a lawyer.[20][21]
Aaron and Sarah
In April 2009, Russell signed with Fox 2000 to helm Aaron and Sarah, retitled from B.F.F., a romantic comedy described as John Hughes-esque. The film would have focused on a geek and a popular girl who meet as Freshman and fall in love over their four years together at high school. Chad Gomez Creasey and Dara Resnik Creasey wrote the screenplay.[22][23]
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
In December 2009, it was reported that Russell would write and direct an adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's horror-comedy-parody Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.[24] In October 2010, Vulture.com reported that Russell had dropped out of directing because star/producer Natalie Portman couldn't meet his intended start date,[25] though he himself later stated that he left due to an unsatisfactory budget.[26] A separate film adaptation was later released in 2016, but Russell had no involvement.
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2010s
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Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
As early as May 2010, Russell had begin negotiating for the director's position on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, a film adaptation based on the popular video game franchise.[27] On November 24, 2010, an interview with Mark Wahlberg was published by MTV with the actor stating that Russell was currently writing the script and was excited for what he had in store. "I'm obviously in whatever David wants to do but the idea of it is so off the charts: Robert De Niro being my father, Joe Pesci being my uncle. It's not going to be the watered-down version, that's for sure."[28] On May 26, 2011, it was reported that Russell had departed the film to direct Silver Linings Playbook.[29]
Old St. Louis
In July 2010, it was reported that Russell had scripted a film titled Old St. Louis about a traveling salesman whose life changes when his daughter becomes part of his life. Vince Vaughn was in talks to produce and star in the film.[30] Chloë Grace Moretz was set to play the daughter, with Scarlett Johansson appearing as the love interest.[31]
Under Cover
In September 2010, it was announced that Summit Entertainment was considering Russell to direct Jim Carrey in Under Cover, a comedy about a family man who joins a cover band.[32]
Untitled cop franchise
In November 2010, it was reported that Ice Cube and Russell were in talks with New Line Cinema to create a potential yet-titled cop drama said to be in the vein of films like Dirty Harry and Death Wish.[33]
2 Guns
In January 2011, Russell was in talks to rewrite and direct Blake Masters' adaptation of 2 Guns with Vince Vaughn attached to star.[34] A film was released in 2013, but without the involvement of Russell or Vaughn.
Cocaine Cowboys
In February 2011, Russell revealed that, in addition to simultaneously working on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Silver Linings Playbook and 2 Guns, he was considering directing a narrative film of the 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys, with Mark Wahlberg.[35]
The Fighter 2
Untitled Russ Meyer biopic
In March 2011, Russell was in negotiations with Fox Searchlight to direct a feature biopic of the Sexploitation film director Russ Meyer.[36]
Maleficent
In June 2011, as claimed by The Hollywood Reporter, Russell was one of the directors interested in taking over for Tim Burton on the production of Disney's Maleficent after his departure.[37]
The Mission
That same month, Russell spoke of a project he was working on with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura called Mission. "It's very cool," Russell told THR, "It's sort of an action-drama."[38] The film was set up the following month at Warner Bros. as a starring vehicle for Brad Pitt.[39]
Untitled Buddy Cianci biopic
It was officially confirmed by the Los Angeles Times in April 2012 that Russell would be directing a biopic of former Providence mayor Buddy Cianci after an arrangement with producer Jane Rosenthal. Based Cianci's biography Politics and Pasta, Russell was confirmed to not be writing the script for the film.[40]
Untitled legal drama series
In August 2012, Russell was in negotiations with CBS to direct a legal drama written by Danny Strong inspired by a real-life New York father/daughter defense attorney team.[41]
American Sniper
In September 2012, Russell revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he was in talks with Bradley Cooper to direct American Sniper.[42]
The Bends
Russell also mentioned a project he scripted titled The Bends, which would have been "a kind of cousin to Vertigo."[42]
The Ends of the Earth
In February 2013, it was announced that Russell would be reunited with Jennifer Lawrence for The Ends of the Earth, a fact-based love story about a powerful oil tycoon who has everything stripped from him after he is caught in an affair. The script was written by Chris Terrio and was set to be produced by Todd Black, Steve Tisch and Jason Blumenthal of Escape Artists.[43]
Legacy of Secrecy
In May 2013, Russell agreed to write and direct an adaptation of the JFK conspiracy thriller Legacy of Secrecy, based on the book by Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann. Leonardo DiCaprio was set to star as FBI informant Jack Van Lavinham and Robert De Niro was also attached to play mafia boss Carlos Marcello.[44]
Untitled genre scripts
During a 2013 directors roundtable discussion for THR, Russell revealed he had written a horror film script that Eli Roth was interested in directing as well as a supernatural time travel script.[45]
Jennifer Lawrence projects
During a 2015 directors roundtable discussion for THR, Russell revealed that prior to their collaboration on Joy, he had written "about 600 pages" of an epic 2-part family opus for Jennifer Lawrence, which he still hoped to make with the actress.[46]
Later that month, Lawrence teased a new film that Russell was developing in which she would play the mother of Robert De Niro's character.[47]
Speaking on a 2018 episode of WTF With Marc Maron, Lawrence announced she would star in a new project by Russell to film in the fall of that year.[48]
In 2019, at a Tribeca retrospective of their work together, Russell told Lawrence "I'm writing something for you now." No further details were disclosed.[49]
Untitled publishing documentary
In the same THR discussion, Russell also revealed that he was then working on a documentary about the world of novel publishing, inspired from how his parents met from working at Simon & Schuster.[46]
Untitled Mafia drama series
In August 2016, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Russell was prepping a limited series set to star Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore.[50] Later, in November, Amazon acquired the property, granting a two-season order — eight episodes each — for the mafia drama, with each installment to have been written and directed by Russell.[51] In June 2017, Michael Shannon was cast to star alongside De Niro and Moore.[52] That October, Amazon scrapped the series due to its involvement with The Weinstein Company.[53]
Father Stu
In September 2016, Mark Wahlberg revealed that he and Russell were both at work on a screenplay about athlete-turned-priest Father Stuart Long.[54] Revealed to be titled Father Stu, Russell would later leave the project as director, with newcomer Rosalind Ross boarding to write and direct for Wahlberg.
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2020s
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Untitled John D. Rockefeller biopic
In 2020, there was talk of Russell pursuing a biopic written by Charles Randolph of the oil business magnate John D. Rockefeller with oft-collaborator Robert De Niro portraying Rockefeller.[55]
FIFA pilot episode
In 2022, O. Russell was set to direct the pilot for a Paramount+ limited series titled FIFA, set in the world of pro-soccer. Paramount also had a first-op deal with Russell to direct two other projects in addition to FIFA.[56]
Super Toys
In 2023, Keke Palmer and Sacha Baron Cohen were announced to star in Russell's Super Toys, an original screenplay. The film is a period piece set in the 1970s that follows two toy sales representatives who find themselves "on a life-and-death mission to save themselves, their marriage and their live-wire 12-year-old daughter while on the road in Middle America." It was being pitched at the European Film Market in February that year, with FilmNation Entertainment handling international sales.[57]
Untitled Linda Ronstadt biopic
In January 2024, it was announced that Selena Gomez would portray the role of Linda Ronstadt in an untitled biopic to be directed by Russell, based on the memoir Simple Dreams.[58][59]
Get Smart reboot
In April 2024, Warner Bros. was reported to be rebooting Get Smart, with Russell in talks to direct, and John Mulaney interested in starring as Maxwell Smart.[60]
Cash TV series
In November 2024, it was reported that Charlize Theron would team with Russell for the Paramount+ series Cash, about "Russian oligarchs and the British government."[61]
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Producer only
All About Me
In 2006, it was reported that Russell would produce the teen comedy All About Me, from a script by first-time screenwriter Jenna Lamia about a high school student who attempts fame through her facility's drama department. No cast or director was attached.[62]
The Witness
In 2017, Russell signed on as producer for a narrative feature adaptation of the Kitty Genovese doc The Witness.[63]
Boy21
Also in 2017, Russell signed on as producer for an adaptation of the basketball drama Boy21.[64]
Not Fade Away
In 2019, Deadline reported Russell's attachment as producer of a film adaptation of Not Fade Away, a 2015 memoir adapted by Lindsey Ferrentino. Emily Blunt was in talks to star.[65]
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References
External links
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