That Amsterdam was a box office flop on a huge scale hasn’t stopped David O. Russell in any way, shape, or form. Already packing a star-studded cast for his John Madden film, Russell has now landed two big stars for a new project, Shutout, that will be hitting the Cannes sales market this month.
Deadline reports Russell will direct Jenna Ortega and Robert De Niro in Shutout, a poolhall drama that sounds like it’ll take its cues from The Color of Money and The Hustler. Russell will direct from a screenplay by Alejandro Adams.
Here’s the synopsis: The pic will follow Jake Kejeune (De Niro), one of the last masters of a vanishing craft — the pool hustler. Having lived and lost by the roll of a ball in smoky backroom halls, Jake encounters Mia (Ortega), a young prodigy whose raw, electrifying talent reignites a fire he thought long extinguished. Sensing a rare opportunity to shape a legend, Jake takes Mia under his wing, honing her instincts and sharpening her natural gift. Together, they plunge into the ruthless world of high-stakes pool, where the line between unimaginable fortune and devastating failure is razor-thin. As Mia’s star ascends and her ambition grows, Jake must confront the ultimate question: can he steer her to greatness, or will her hunger for victory eclipse everything he has taught her?
De Niro and Russell go back a long way, working together on Silver Linings Playbook, Joy, Amsterdam, and American Hustle.
Ortega was recently seen in Death of a Unicorn, and stars opposite The Weeknd in the psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow in a couple of weeks.
Expect Russell to do as he normally does and pack the Shutout cast with A-listers. It hasn’t always paid off, but it has more often than not.
