Nancy Meyers‘ next star-studded comedy feature will need to replace a castmember.
Emma Mackey, who was previously attached as part of the ensemble cast in the untitled Warner Bros. project, has exited amid a scheduling conflict. The Hollywood Reporter reported earlier this month that the Ella McCay star was set to appear in Meyers’ movie alongside Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law and Owen Wilson.
Details of Mackey’s role have not been shared for the film that is slated to hit theaters Dec. 25, 2027. A version of the feature had been in the works over the years and was set up at Netflix but shelved in early 2023 over the streamer’s concerns about budget.
At that time, the project went by the title Paris Paramount and boasted a cast that included Cruz, Wilson, Michael Fassbender and Scarlett Johansson. Back then, the semi-autobiographical movie’s story centered on a young filmmaker who falls for a producer, with the pair making several hits together before splitting up, romantically and professionally. The duo then have to work together again on a high-profile new project that features volatile stars.
THR previously reported that it’s unclear if the script has changed since then and where the budget currently stands.
The new comedy marks Meyers’ first feature since Warner Bros.’ 2015 title The Intern, starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro. Her previous directorial efforts have included The Parent Trap, What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday and It’s Complicated.
Puck was first to report on Mackey’s departure.
During an interview late last year with THR, director James L. Brooks explained how he knew Mackey was the right fit to star as the titular politician in his comedy Ella McCay, which 20th Century Studios released in December. The actress is known for her breakout role on the Netflix series Sex Education and is set to appear in J.J. Abrams’ sci-fi film The Great Beyond that Warner Bros. is set to release later this year. She also stars as the White Witch in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew for Netflix.
“I knew her work a little from Sex Education, and we met during a long hunt to find the actor to play the title role,” Brooks said. “We looked everywhere, and I was auditioning for a long time. I went to London, and that’s where I first saw her. She did a monologue from the movie, and I knew. There’s a radiance to her.”
