The Nancy Meyers film that just lately fell aside at Netflix over finances points could also be revived at Warner Bros.
After being arrange at Netflix for over a yr, Meyers’ long-awaited return to the director’s chair started to disintegrate final week over disagreements concerning the finances. Sources inform The Hollywood Reporter that Warners, interested in the concept of a ready-made scorching challenge with an A-list solid and doable summer season begin date, could also be stepping in to select it up. Exploratory talks are underway, in keeping with a number of sources.
Scarlett Johansson was connected to play the lead position in Meyers’ characteristic, with Penélope Cruz, Owen Wilson and Michael Fassbender additionally eying the challenge. Meyers will write, direct and produce the comedy, which is at the moment referred to as Paris Paramount, though it’s not clear if that’s the precise title, a working title or a code title.
It’s unclear if the solid will stay intact if and when the challenge strikes to Warners. Meyers had been asking for a finances north of $130 million, presumably as excessive as $150 million, in keeping with sources. Netflix held the movie at $130 million. It’s not clear what Warners would agree on given the belt-tightening the studio is going through, though beneficiant backends might find yourself on the desk.
Sources say Paris facilities on a proficient younger writer-director who falls in love with a producer, with the pair making a number of profitable movies earlier than calling it quits romantically and professionally. The 2 are compelled again collectively, nonetheless, when a terrific new challenge arises, they usually discover themselves teamed up once more and having to take care of excessive stakes and unstable stars.
There are a number of parallels with Meyers’ personal life. She had a longtime romantic {and professional} relationship with Charles Shyer, a fellow writer-director-producer, after they met whereas working in Hollywood. The pair married and had an enviable output that included films akin to Non-public Benjamin, Child Increase, The Guardian Lure and Father of the Bride. After Meyers and Shyer break up, Meyers went on to write down and direct films akin to One thing’s Gotta Give and The Vacation.
Meyers final directed the 2015 comedy The Intern, starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro. (She produced the 2017 characteristic Residence Once more, which was written and directed by her daughter Hallie Meyers-Shyer.) “I’m taking a break,” stated Meyers in a 2019 dialog with Mindy Kaling on the annual Produced By convention. She additionally mentioned the disappearance of midbudget comedies like hers from the theatrical market: “The enterprise has modified in a method that’s considerably unrecognizable to me.” The Meyers canon additionally contains It’s Sophisticated and What Ladies Need.
If the Warner Bros. deal comes collectively, the movie is anticipated to obtain a theatrical launch. As soon as fixed theatrical presences, rom-coms fell out of vogue on the field workplace and have change into the area of streamers. Meyers has commanded costs on the upper finish for the style. Her productions have earned a lofty place within the rom-com annals, with Architectural Digest-worthy manufacturing design and name sheets that includes huge stars like Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep.
