the early-evening news

More On-Set Drama for David O. Russell

RussellPhoto: WireImage


David O. Russell Shut Down: Production has reportedly been halted on David O. Russell’s film Nailed, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel, owing to SAG concerns about the film’s financing. While this is undoubtedly a blow to the film, of all the reasons a David O. Russell set might be thrown into turmoil, this is the one least likely to wind up on YouTube. [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

Donnie Darko 2?: Though without Richard Kelly’s participation, a sequel to Donnie Darko, S. Darko, will reportedly start shooting next week. Daveigh Chase, who played Donnie’s youngest sister in the original, is the only cast member to return, although reportedly that enormous talking rabbit will be in it too. Expect no one to write a nerdy 5,000 word exegesis of this one. [Screen Daily]

McSpaced Is Dead: The McG-produced version of popular British comedy Spaced, derided by the show’s creators Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright and called McSpaced by fans of the original, has been rejected by Fox, sources tell Nikki Finke. And the Internet breathes a sigh of relief. [Deadline Hollywood Daily]

CBS Visits the Ice Storm: New CBS drama Swingtown features seventies-set stories of open marriages and group sex. On hearing the news, NBC wunderkind Ben Silverman slapped his forehead and ordered six of his VPs killed. [NYT]

The New Yorker Finally Explains Idol: The odorless, colorless gas “air” is a combination of many elements, but its primary component is oxygen. Air was created by forces of nature, and first appeared in the form of the Earth’s atmosphere roughly 250 million years ago. Nature’s genius was manifold: It created a gas encircling the Earth that could support both animal life (with oxygen) and plant life (with carbon dioxide). [NYer]

More On-Set Drama for David O. Russell