Carrey & Diaz say no 'Game'

By M&C News Oct 4, 2006, 12:10 GMT

Actor Jim Carrey salutes after hitting tennis balls into the crowd before the second of two men\'s semifinals being playing at the 2006 US Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York on Saturday 09 September 2006 EPA/JUSTIN LANE

LOS ANGELES, CA, United States (M&C) -- Oct 19 was to be the start date for Focus Features romantic comedy, ‘A Little Game’- not now!

Stars Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz and director Gabriele Muccino ankeled the film after problems they all had with the third act could not be worked out.

This is the third straight Carrey film to fail after Fox closed down "Used Guys" because of its escalating $112 million  budget and Paramount put ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ on hold partly over budget, but also because Carrey came up with a flurry of ideas that necessitated a rewrite.

It’s reported that Carrey and “Ripley’s” director Tim Burton are still interested in doing the movie once screenplay re-write is complete and after Burton directs 'Sweeney Todd' for Warner Bros.

Focus studio director James Schamus, a screenwriter in his own right, stepped up to “Game” to try and salvage the project. Producer Stephanie Danan, said a crew is on stand-by in case the project again gets the green light.

"Cameron is no longer part of the project, but we're still hoping to make this movie with Jim," she said. "Right now, we are regrouping but still planning to move forward with the movie. We'll play with the dates, but the intent is to shoot it before Christmas."

However Carrey’s reps have let it be known he will not attach himself to the project without Diaz - they were looking forward to working with one-another again after having worked on ‘The Mask’ together.

It’s also said they both liked Muccino's 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' which stars Will Smith – without Muccino (who the studio claims was fired), it does not seem like either star will return.

Copyright 2006 by Monsters and Critics