Bradley Cooper In 'The Silver Linings Playbook': To Replace Mark Wahlberg
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Some big Hollywood scheduling conflicts have Mark Wahlberg now looking for some silver linings.
Deadline reports that Wahlberg is leaving the starring role of "The Silver Linings Playbook," the big screen adaptation of the Matthew Quick Novel that was to be his reunion with "The Fighter" director David O. Russell. As it turns out, it's the schedule of his hand-chosen starlet love interest, Jennifer Lawrence, that is causing the exit; because she's in the middle of filming "The Hunger Games," production on this film had to be pushed back -- when Wahlberg will be busy shooting another film.
In his stead, it looks like Bradley Cooper will grab the role, as he's already in talks to sign on. He'd play a man who attempts suicide, goes to rehab and ends up living with his mother. According to Quick's website, he, "formulates a theory about silver linings: he believes his life is a movie produced by God, his mission is to become physically fit and emotionally supportive, and his happy ending will be the return of his estranged wife Nikki."
Lawrence will play the young woman who pursues him once he's back in New Jersey.
Few in Hollywood have had as good a year thus far as the handsome 36-year old; he opened his first solo vehicle, "Limitless," to the top of the box office in March, and his ensemble, "The Hangover, Part II," set a record for R-rated comedies at the box office in its first weekend. Thus far, it has made $563 million globally.
Currently, Cooper is in upstate New York shooting "The Place Beyond The Pines" with Ryan Gosling, and will later take on a motion capture version of "Paradise Lost," in which he'll play Lucifer.
Cooper is also in the midst of writing a full script for a big screen adaptation for the "Hyperion" novels.
As for Wahlberg, he's got plenty of other films on his plate; he just finished wrapping up work on the Seth MacFarlane comedy, "Ted," with Mila Kunis, and is readying to star in a Thanksgiving-themed laugher with Will Ferrell. He's got a buddy action comedy with Jonah Hill, "Good Time Gang," in pre-production; he's rumored to star in "Billy Jack,", as well as that sequel to "The Fighter."
There's also the matter of the film in which he'll star instead of "Silver Linings"; for that information, and much more, including word of a major acting legend also joining the cast, click over to Deadline.
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First Posted: 08/02/11 01:46 PM ET Updated: 10/02/11 06:12 AM ET