News > SHELVED Part 2: Shantaram, Nine

Written by David Morgan

The WGA strike has forced the delay of two more projects:

First, Mira Nair's Shantaram. Adapted from the Gregory David Roberts novel and starring Johnny Depp, Nair's film will not begin production in February as planned. Warner Brothers decided that Eric Roth's screenplay had not navigated around enough "logistical problems" to work.

Second, Rob Marshall's musical Nine has been shut down by The Weinstein Co. due to similar reasons. Michael Tolkin wrote the screenplay but it was being given a polish by Anthony Minghella when the WGA forced the British director to pack up. Inspired by the Federico Fellini film 8&1/2, Nine tells the story of "director Guido Contini (Javier Bardem), who experiences a creative and personal crisis as he tries to balance the women in his life, including his wife, mistress, film-star muse, agent and even his mother." Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz, and Marion Cotillard costar (or rather, might costar someday).

(Variety)