Bradley Cooper Replaces Mark Wahlberg in THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; Robert De Niro in Talks

David O. Russell will round up an impressive cast to star in his next feature, an adaptation of The Silver Linings Playbook.  The details of who this will be exactly are still murky.  Mark Wahlberg was ready to make this his fourth collaboration with Russell, but a delay in production created a scheduling conflict.  Deadline believes Wahlberg is dropping out because of his commitment to Broken City.

On the positive side, the report confirms Jennifer Lawrence for the female lead — she reportedly beat out Elizabeth Banks, Kirsten Dunst, Blake Lively, Rooney Mara, Rachel McAdams, Andrea Riseborough, and Olivia Wilde for the sought-after role.  In fact, it was Lawrence’s need to shoot The Hunger Games that delayed the schedule beyond Wahlberg’s availability.  Bradley Cooper is resuming talks for the now-vacant role after he  attached with  Anne Hathaway in the early stages of development.  New to the Playbook is Robert De Niro, in negotiations for a role that would the actor reunite with his Limitless co-star (and his would-be Uncharted director).  There is no update on Angelina Jolie’s potential involvement with the project, so I wouldn’t count on it.

The Weinstein Company production will shoot in the fall.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of Matthew Quick’s novel.

Meet Pat Peoples. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure him a happy ending—the return of his estranged wife, Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent several years in a mental health facility.)

The problem is, Pat’s now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he’s being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he’s being haunted by Kenny G! [Amazon]