David O. Russell Back In The Saddle
Good news for Lily Tomlin’s eardrums – David O. Russell is back back back! Yes, the man whose astonishing temper was flashed all over the ‘Net a couple of weeks back on those Screaming Huckabees videos is also a top-class movie director in his spare time, and he’s set to make Sammy’s Hill his next film.
A comedy based on a book by Kristin Gore (daughter of Al Gore, the saviour of our planet), it’s a rom-com with a political edge, following the adventures of a young (and probably smokin’ hot) congressional aide who tries to balance her life on Capitol Hill with searching for Mr. Right. (Not Mr. Right Wing)
It may sound a bit too Devil Wears Prada transplanted to the political stage, but O. Russell is a fantastic director, and in him we trust. OK now, David? Please don’t yell at us anymore!
Raja Gosnell To Direct Book Club
Empire once met Raja Gosnell, and he was absolutely lovely, taking the time at the end of the interview to shake our hand and compliment us with a nice, ‘great questions’. Which is why we’re a little ashamed to say that he’s not terribly good at this movie directing business – he has both Scooby Doo movies AND Big Momma’s House on his CV, dagnammit! – and we’re vaguely horrified to learn that he plans to strike again. Ahem… sorry, that should read ‘direct again’.
Gosnell will be calling the shots on Book Club, a comedy about a man who discovers the dirty secrets of an all-female book group and then – because blackmail is the basis for comedy – blackmails them into helping him get back together with his ex-girlfriend.
Sounds not terribly funny, eh? Well, leave it to Gosnell to punch it up. And to be fair, he did direct Never Been Kissed, which isn’t half bad, so maybe he just should never direct films with cartoon dogs or Martin Lawrence. And sometimes, you know, punchlines write themselves.
The Rules Of Deception Is Optioned
Christopher Reich’s new novel, The Rules Of Deception, won’t be published until next year, but that hasn’t stopped Paramount Pictures from picking up the movie rights for Lorenzo di Bonaventura to produce.
The frankly bonkers plot will follow a doctor who loses his wife after she falls into a ravine while they’re hiking in the Swiss Alps. He then receives a letter, addressed to her, that somehow plunges him into the middle of a conspiracy that could plunge the world into nuclear war. We’d tell you how, but like we say, the book’s not out until next year.
Paramount have also picked up the rights to the book’s sequel, The Rules Of Vengeance. No news yet on whether there will be a third Reich.