David Slade in the Running to Direct PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES; Johansson, Cooper, Wasikowska, Swinton, and O’Hara Rumored to Star

A couple weeks ago, director David O. Russell left the adaptation of Seth Grahme-Smith’s parody-novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for the Vince Vaughn flick Old St. Louis and to adapt the video game Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.  Deadline is reporting that the directing gig for Pride is one of the hottest in Hollywood and that “a lot of helmers are lining up” for it since Russell left behind a strong script.  The only name that Deadline mentions is The Twilight Saga: Eclipse director David Slade.  Slade was one of the final candidates to get the big franchise films Wolverine 2 and The Hunger Games, but those gigs went to Darren Aronofsky and Gary Ross, respectively.

Natalie Portman also recently left Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (although she’ll remain on board as a producer).  Hit the jump for news on Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper, Mia Wasikowska, Tilda Swinton, and Catherine O’Hara possibly starring.

Deadline reports that before he left the project, David O. Russell had Scarlett Johansson stepping into replace Portman as Elizabeth Bennet, and Bradley Cooper would play Mr. Darcy.  Obviously, a new director may want to pick their own leads, but Deadline says that Johansson and Cooper are still the frontrunners.

Pajiba is also adding some names via their Twitter feed.  According to them, Mia Wasikowska is also possible contender to play Elizabeth, and that Tilda Swinton and Catherine O’Hara have been mentioned for the roles of Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet, respectively.  It would be interesting to see Wasikowska–who’s already starring in Cary Fukunaga’s adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre–get the gig, although I wonder if she’ll want to star in another (albeit twisted) period piece.