Ok, we all knew David O. Russell was having problems on the set of his new political satire, “Nailed,” it is the mercurial O.Russell after all – a director that no one seems to be able to stomach (including generally genial people like George Clooney), but things have apparently gotten much, much worse and the production is shutting down.
First Robert Duvall walked off the set and then quit “Nailed,” and then there were reports that lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal was displaying “diva-like” behavior (the film also stars Jessica Biel) Much of this isn’t new for O.Russell, both his last two films, “I Heart Huckabees,” and “Three Kings” were filled with tons of onset drama and turmoil (infamous footage of his battles with the actors and particularly Lily Tomlin from ‘Huckabees’ made the rounds and the Clooney famous socked O.Russell in the mouth for being such a tyrannical dick on the set of ‘Kings’).
Nikki Finke the “I told you so”-inclined reporter over at Deadline Hollywood now says that the production has temporarily shuttered due to financial issues. The “cash crunch” has apparently put everyone in a holding pattern and the actors – including James Marsden, Catherine Keener, and Tracy Morgan – “are waiting to see if the movie will continue.”
The monetary issues are apparently that’s causing problems with the unions “SAG, IATSE and the Teamsters.” Finke insists in spite of O.Russell’s difficult reputation, the film’s problems are all financial and not due to his leader abilities.
And it gets worse, a follow-up report by Finke says the lead actors on the film, Gyllenhaal and Biel have been asked to leave the film by the Screen Actor’s Guild because the producers have apparently deposited insufficient funds with the guild.
This film sounds fucked, but apparently, James Brolin came in to replace Duvall’s role and completed all his scenes before the movie was shut down. Perhaps there is some hope for the film. A source tells Finke, “It’s been touch and go the entire time. The financiers are doing the best they can. There’s been a cash crunch, that’s for sure. It’s a drag, but they’ll muddle through. Everyone seems happy and committed to the movie and hopeful all this stuff will get worked out.”