News

The much-ballyhooed reteaming of Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz for Focus Features' A Little Game Without Consequence has turned out to be short-lived. Both Carrey and Diaz have exited the project, which was announced in early September (HR 9/6). The movie's director, Gabriele Muccino, also has departed. Production was to have started this month in New York. Sources cited problems with the script as the principal reason for the departures. The script was said to have gone in a different direction than the actors expected when they became involved. Allan Loeb (Things We Lost in the Fire) penned a draft of the screenplay based on a play by Jean Dell and Gerald Sibleyras, which also was turned into the 2004 French film Un petit jeu sans consequence, written by Bernard Rapp. Muccino wrote the most recent draft.

Jim Carrey will reteam with Cameron Diaz in Focus Features' A Little Game Without Consequence. It will be their first feature together since 1994's The Mask, which boosted both of their careers. The film will be directed by Gabriele Muccino, who has helmed the upcoming The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith. The comedy-drama revolves around a married couple who have been happily married for five years but decide to play a trick on their friends by pretending to break up only to discover that most of their friends and family never thought they belonged together in the first place. Allan Loeb (Things We Lost in the Fire) penned the screenplay based on a play by Jean Dell and Gerald Sibleyras, which was turned into the 2004 French film Un petit jeu sans consequence, written by Bernard Rapp. Producing are Alain Chabat and Stephanie Danan through their Los Angeles-based banner WAM along with Muccino's producing partner Domenico Procacci. The project will begin filming next month in New York.