Gen Z will meet Baby Boomer in David O. Russell‘s next feature, with the “American Hustle” and “The Fighter” director lining up Jenna Ortega (“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Scream”) and Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon,” “The Irishman”) to star.
“Shutout,” based on a screenplay by Alejandro Adams, is being produced by Russell, RK Films’ Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum (“Maleficent,” “Fast X”), and Mark Bomback (“Defending Jacob,” “The United States vs Billie Holiday”). Black Bear will introduce the project to international buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Market. CAA Media Finance is handling U.S. rights.
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“Shutout” follows Jake Lejeune (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?
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“We’re delighted to be collaborating with the acclaimed director David O. Russell and the legendary Robert De Niro, and especially excited to see Jenna step into the spotlight alongside these two cinematic icons,” said RK Films’ Kirschenbaum. “It’s a rare and thrilling opportunity to support such a high-caliber team coming together to tell a compelling story — a lineup so precise, it feels like the perfect break.”
Black Bear has a bustling Cannes slate, with “Shutout” joining the previously announced Angelina Jolie vehicle “Anxious People” from director Marc Forster. The company’s upcoming lineup includes “Train Dreams” which launched at Sundance, where it sold to Netflix; “The Rivals of Amziah King” starring Matthew McConaughey; Guy Ritchie’s “Wife & Dog,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike and Anthony Hopkins; Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman heist thriller “Tuner”; Jason Statham’s currently untitled action movie from director Ric Roman Waugh; female comedy Spa Weekend from directors Lucas & Moore starring Leslie Mann and Isla Fischer; David Michôd’s untitled Christy Martin film starring Sydney Sweeney as the champion boxer; and Gregg Araki’s provocative thriller,” I Want Your Sex,” starring Olivia Wilde.
Founded by producers Roth and Kirschenbaum, RK Films has produced hugely successful franchise films including “Maleficent,” “Snow White and the Huntsman,” and “The Huntsman: Winter’s War.” Their output extends to the “Fast & Furious” franchise, with “F9” and “Fast X,” as well as major Netflix projects like “The Gray Man,” “Damsel” and “Hustle.” In television, RK Films produced the HBO miniseries “The Plot Against America” and Amazon Prime Video’s “Panic.”
Russell is represented by CAA and 42West; De Niro by CAA and RMG; Ortega by CAA and Viewpoint.
