Jessica
Well, here’s a bit of shake-up news on two different projects going on in the movie world.
First up, ”Book of Eli” director Albert Hughes has exited “Akira”.
Deadline reports that Hughes has said sayonara to the anime adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s graphic novel. Apparently he walked because of ” amicable creative differences”. Now that he’s out, Warner Bros. is scrambling to grab a director ASAP so they can get the film back on track to start filming either later this year or the beginning of next year.
A number of actors were short-listed last year for the lead roles including Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy for the role of Tetsuo, and Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix for Kandea (the role Keanu Reeves also recently passed on). Don’t believe they have anyone yet though.
Meantime, “The Fighter” director David O. Russell meanwhile is no longer directing ”Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune”. Variety claims Russell left due to creative differences with Sony.
Uncharted is an adaptation of the popular 2007 PlayStation 3 videogame that centered on treasure hunter Nathan Drake.
Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer penned the first draft of the script. Although Sony still wants them for the script, the studio is now looking for new writers.
Mark Wahlberg was attached to star in the film but with his frequent collaborator O’Russell gone, it’s likely so is his leading man. In addition, O’Russell was said to have been courting Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci for roles in the film – it’s quite likely they’re also now on the outer of the project.
