Robert De Niro is back in league with David O. Russell, his director on films including Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Joy, and Amsterdam. This time, the longstanding collaborators will add up-and-coming movie star Jenna Ortega. Ortega, one of the biggest names of her generation, has already been anointed by the likes of Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, and Natalie Portman, but co-starring in a two-hander with De Niro cements her spot as a Hollywood power player, much as Silver Linings Playbook did for Jennifer Lawrence—and that film earned her an Oscar, so watch out for Shutout.
According to a synopsis (via Variety), Shutout follows “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?”
Despite numerous controversies, and particularly his reputation for being physically and verbally abusive to his cast and crew, David O. Russell remains a sought-after filmmaker and a star magnet. Projects on his current docket include an Apple TV+ series starring Oscar Isaac and Ana de Armas called Bananas, and a John Madden biopic starring Nicolas Cage as the NFL legend. Last month, it was reported that Kathryn Hahn, Sienna Miller, and John Mulaney (who was once rumored to star in a Get Smart reboot directed by Russell) were all in talks to star in Madden as well. It seems neither controversy nor notorious flop (Amsterdam) nor even the ire of George Clooney can slow Russell down.
