With a deal inked with Universal for David O. Russell to direct “Old St. Louis,” things are moving quickly on what is shaping up to be the director’s next project following “The Fighter.”
With Vince Vaughn already attached to the lead, Vulture reports that Scarlett Johansson is in talks to join the film “about a divorced traveling toy salesman who reconnects with his teen daughter after years on the road.” Vaughn would play the salesman, with Johansson eyeing the role of his lover and secretary who joins him on a cross-country jaunt.
Apparently, the film isn’t a Russell original to begin with and has been kicking around for years, with Steve Pink (“Gross Pointe Blank,” “High Fidelity” ) and Allen Loeb (“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”) drafting versions at various points. However, it’s been given a complete overhaul by Russel,l so only his name will appear as a writing credit, and the film’s original title of “Toy Men” has been changed as well.
The film has a relatively low budget of $20 million and if everything falls into place, production will begin in October. So what does this mean for Johansson’s supposed involvement in Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity,” which is also set to shoot imminently? Could this mean that Blake Lively has a real shot now at taking the leading role? It would certainly appear that if Johansson comes aboard Russell’s film, Cuarón’s search for a female lead will need to continue.
